Check Your Doctor’s ADR Before Going for Colonoscopy Screening
A lot of time we find when general physicians recommend their patients to get a colonoscopy screening, they get so scared they can’t think of other necessary things at all. They blindly depend upon their GP and contact the doctor to whom their general physicians referred them to. But do you think just being a board-certified gastroenterologist can guarantee a good test? No!
According to the American College of Gastroenterology, only ADR can measure the quality of a colonoscopy. Now you may ask what is ADR? How does it affect the quality of a colonoscopy? How to ask your doctor for it? Let’s discuss all this in detail.
What is ADR?
ADR stands for Adenoma Detection Rate. It is a numeric value that represents how many times your specialist detects a precancerous polyp during a colonoscopy screening. The experts consider ADR as a benchmark of care and quality. It also detects how thorough a doctor can be during the test.
Why Should You Ask Your Doctor About Adenoma Detection Rate?
An adenoma is a polyp on the inner wall of the colon. Some of them may develop into malignant tumors. As reported, 25% of men and 15% of women older than 50 are diagnosed with adenomas.
According to the American College of Gastroenterology, all gastroenterologists are assigned an ADR which measures their ability to detect these growths. If a doctor can exceed the detection rate, then he or she is considered capable of performing colonoscopy screening.
Does Knowing the ADR of Your Doctors Really Matter?
It does matter. Keep in mind that if the ADR of your doctor is below the industry standard, then doing the colonoscopy screening is nearly worthless. Colonoscopy can literally save your life and prevent early-stage cancer. Therefore, if the ADR of the doctor is not above 25, you are wasting both your money and time.
Why Is Asking Your Physician About ADR Important?
Indubitably, gastroenterologists complete the most extensive training to perform colonoscopy screening. But the rate of polyp detection may vary. Before going to a specialist, you should check whether his or her ADR is at least 15 percent in women and 25 percent in men.
You may feel uneasy to ask questions about ADRs, but keep in mind you are entitled to the information. The good experts would be willing to tell you more. On a special note, contact a physician who has an average withdrawal time of no more than six to ten minutes to remove the colonoscope at the end of the procedure.
Save Your life
Hearing from your general physician about doing a colonoscopy is no doubt upsetting. But do not get sidelined by fear and doubt, it is your responsibility to not take your life for granted. You should ensure the qualification of the expert who is going to do the process. To learn more about this topic, you can ask our experts at Screen The City.
**Disclaimer: This blog content does not intend to offer a doctor’s advice and mentions no relationship between any patient and the care provider.
