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Published on: July 11, 2025
Improvement in colonoscopy quality metrics in clinical practice from 2000 to 2014
Simon C Mathews1, Ni Zhao2, Jennifer L Holub3
1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Johns Hopkins Medicine Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Background And Aims:
There has been a tremendous increase in research focused on quality metrics in colonoscopy since 2000. However, whether national performance in colonoscopy quality outcomes has changed significantly since then is not as well known.
Methods:
We examined colonoscopy data collected prospectively through the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative, which included 84 GI practice sites from 2000 to 2014 for patients undergoing colonoscopy for multiple indications. Colonoscopy outcomes by indication were compared across three 5-year periods (2000-2004, 2005-2009, 2010-2014) using the following metrics: bowel preparation quality (percentage good/excellent), finding a polyp, finding 2 or more polyps, and finding a polyp >9 mm. Multivariate logistic regression was used to generate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each time period while controlling for age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
Results:
A total of 1,541,837 adults were included in the study across all indication groups. The average-risk screening group (390,741 adults) demonstrated statistically significant improvement across all 4 quality metrics when comparing the baseline period with the final time period. Bowel preparation quality improved across all indications when comparing the baseline period with the final time period. Finding a polyp, finding 2 or more polyps, and finding a polyp >9 mm improved in the average-risk screening, surveillance, and diagnostic indication groups when comparing the baseline period with the final time period. The increased-risk screening and inflammatory bowel disease indication groups did not see improvements beyond bowel preparation quality when comparing the baseline with the final time period.
Conclusion:
Colonoscopy outcomes as measured by bowel preparation quality, finding a polyp, finding 2 or more polyps, and finding a polyp >9 mm improved significantly over the 15-year period between 2000 and 2014, with the largest and most consistent impact in the average-risk screening indication group.
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