A recent article in the New York Times explored the growing use of anesthesiologist-administered anesthesia during colonoscopy and its impact on the cost of colonoscopy procedures.
Traditionally, colonoscopies have been performed with conscious sedation, which can be administered by a gastroenterologist. However, the use of Propofol — which is more costly than the other sedatives and is typically administered by an anesthesiologist — has been on the rise.
Robert C. Goldstein, MD, chief medical officer of Somnia Anesthesia, said in a blog post in response to the New York Times article that he supports the use of Propofol for colonoscopy. "Although using a general anesthetic administered by an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist may mean an added cost to the patient or insurance company for a colonoscopy, the health and financial benefits far outweigh the costs," he said.
"In multiple studies conducted over the past few years, results have shown that use of a more potent drug, such as Propofol, for inducing anesthesia improves the polyp detection rates and cancer diagnosis rates, sometimes by as much as 43 percent. These early detections not only save lives, but often spare patients and insurance companies the long and costly process of cancer treatment," said Dr. Goldstein.
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Traditionally, colonoscopies have been performed with conscious sedation, which can be administered by a gastroenterologist. However, the use of Propofol — which is more costly than the other sedatives and is typically administered by an anesthesiologist — has been on the rise.
Robert C. Goldstein, MD, chief medical officer of Somnia Anesthesia, said in a blog post in response to the New York Times article that he supports the use of Propofol for colonoscopy. "Although using a general anesthetic administered by an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist may mean an added cost to the patient or insurance company for a colonoscopy, the health and financial benefits far outweigh the costs," he said.
"In multiple studies conducted over the past few years, results have shown that use of a more potent drug, such as Propofol, for inducing anesthesia improves the polyp detection rates and cancer diagnosis rates, sometimes by as much as 43 percent. These early detections not only save lives, but often spare patients and insurance companies the long and costly process of cancer treatment," said Dr. Goldstein.
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