Digestive diseases and sciences
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Missed colonoscopy appointments (no-shows) can lead to wasted resources and delays in colorectal cancer diagnosis, an area of special concern in public health systems that often provide care for vulnerable patients. Our objective was to identify reasons for missed colonoscopy appointments in patients seeking care at two large public health systems in Houston, TX. ⋯ Most missed colonoscopy appointments resulted from potentially preventable travel- and scheduling-related issues. Because barriers to keeping colonoscopy appointments are different across health systems, each health system might need to develop unique interventions to reduce missed colonoscopy appointments.
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Rebleeding and mortality rates remain high in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. ⋯ Successful endoscopic hemostasis is an independent protective factor for both rebleeding and mortality in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.