Prospective Study
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World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jul 15, 2014; 6(7): 257-262
Published online Jul 15, 2014. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v6.i7.257
Patient prompting of their physician resulted in increased colon cancer screening referrals
Vu Le, Saqib Syed, Kenneth J Vega, Tushar Sharma, Mohammad F Madhoun, Nandakumar Srinivasan, Courtney W Houchen
Vu Le, Saqib Syed, Kenneth J Vega, Tushar Sharma, Mohammad F Madhoun, Nandakumar Srinivasan, Courtney W Houchen, Division of Digestive Disease and Nutrition, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States
Tushar Sharma, College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States
Author contributions: Le V, Syed S contributed to the conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of the article, critical revision of article for important intellectual content, final approval of the article; Vega KJ contributed to the analysis of data, critical revision of article for important intellectual content, final approval of the article; Sharma T and Madhoun MF contributed to the analysis and interpretation of the data, critical revision of article for important intellectual content, final approval of the article; Srinivasan N, Houchen CW contributed to the conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of the article, critical revision of article for important intellectual content, final approval of the article.
Correspondence to: Kenneth J Vega, MD, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, WP 1345, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States. kenneth-vega@ouhsc.edu
Telephone: +1-405-2715428 Fax: +1-405-2715803
Received: September 23, 2013
Revised: February 27, 2014
Accepted: June 18, 2014
Published online: July 15, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Colon cancer screening only performed in approximately 60% of Americans over 50 years old. Inadequate communication between patient and physician is a significant obstacle to obtaining appropriate screening, especially in the underinsured population. Patient initiated prompting of their primary care physician for colorectal cancer screening with colonoscopy increased referrals in both underinsured and insured patient groups.