Colonoscopy utilization in rural areas by general surgeons: An analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

Background One in three adults above 50 years old have not been screened for colorectal cancer as of 2013.1 Rural areas have even lower screening and have more general surgeons compared to gastroenterologists,2 offering surgeons as a reservoir for necessary services. Methods Public data from the 2006–2015 CDC National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was analyzed using SAS. Number of colonoscopies performed by rural general surgeons, family...