• Health

    The medical procedure some patients are having too often and others aren’t having enough

    AnyFans Posted on

    By Kate Aubusson

    Copyright theage

    The medical procedure some patients are having too often and others aren’t having enough

    Poorer Australians at risk of bowel cancer are missing out on colonoscopies to diagnose the condition, while people in the most affluent areas are coming back for repeat procedures too soon, contrary to clinical guidelines.

    A new analysis of Medicare and ABS data reveals a growing divide along socioeconomic and geographical lines, as public waiting lists for colonoscopies blow out in areas of greatest need.

    Updated clinical guidelines released on Sunday by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care aim to emphasise which patients to refer for colonoscopy, and when, as well as address poor communication that has exacerbated diagnosis delays for some patients while others are over-investigated.

    The Commission’s new Atlas Focus Report: Colonoscopy, also released on Sunday, shows the colonoscopy rate in major cities was four times higher than in remote areas (2550 versus 633 per 100,000 people) in 2023-2024. Limited resources and workforce play a clear role in lower colonoscopy rates outside metros.

    You Might Also Like