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Connecting PCPs and Specialists

May 2005

Given the time pressure they face in managing their own practices, should gastroenterologists make the effort to educate primary care physicians (PCPs) about colorectal cancer screening guidelines and the appropriate care of non-cancerous colorectal problems?

The answer is yes. As advocates for colorectal screening, gastroenterologists should be aware of obstacles PCPs face in making referrals for colonoscopy. In addition, by teaching referral sources about gastrointestinal conditions, gastroenterologists are more likely to receive only those referrals that actually require specialty care. By helping to smooth the path to their door, gastroenterologists can enhance quality of care, improve timely access to their services, and solidify their referral stream.

Following Guidelines
“Educating PCPs about colorectal cancer screening is absolutely an appropriate and important role for gastroenterologists,” says F. Taylor Wootton, MD, a gastroenterologist in community practice in Virginia Beach, Va. He also serves as assistant professor of medicine at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk and chairs the American Gastroenterological Association’s practice management and economics committee. “Colorectal cancer is one of the few cancers that can actually be prevented,” Wootton says. “While awareness about the need for screening has increased in recent years, only about 25% to 30% of eligible individuals are currently screened. Gastroenterologists can help decrease barriers to screening by educating referring doctors as well as patients.”

“The colorectal cancer screening guidelines are relatively well known and have been very well advertised,” agrees L. Gordon Moore, MD, a primary care and family medicine physician in solo practice in Rochester, N.Y. Moore serves on the faculty of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Cambridge, Mass., and focuses part of his work with IHI on improving interactions between PCPs and specialists.

Robert Coli, MD, a gastroenterologist in Warwick, R.I., concurs. “Probably 80% ....

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