Capacity of U.S. Hospitals to Provide Virtual Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Although reductions in mortality can be achieved through detection and treatment of early-stage colorectal cancers, only 50 to 60 percent of U.S. adults age 50 and older are screened according to guidelines. Computed tomographic colonography (CTC), often referred to as virtual colonoscopy, is a promising new tool for colorectal cancer screening.

Anecdotally it is clear that many hospitals have adopted CT colonography services, yet there are many unanswered questions about the prevalence of the service, and the implementation of the service into practice. The purpose of this study was to address two questions: what is the current capacity of U.S. hospitals to conduct CT colonography, and what are the factors that influence a hospital's decision to adopt CT colonography?

HRET is using the American Hospital Association Annual Survey to produce descriptive statistics on the percentage of hospitals with virtual colonoscopy services, stratified by hospital characteristics. HRET is also conducting interviews with Directors of Radiology or Imaging from several hospitals to explore issues surrounding the implementation and practice of virtual colonoscopy.

For more information about this project, contact Steve Hines at (312) 422-2607 or shines3@aha.org.