Colorectal cancer screening quality, cost and practice in an era of healthcare transformation.

Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening is the largest single source of income for gastroenterologists in the USA. Despite its proven value in preventing colon cancer, it is being scrutinized by payers and regulators as a high-volume procedure with variable quality, cost and documentation. In a rapidly evolving era of reimbursement for added value (high quality, affordable cost) rather than for individual transactions/volume, gastroenterologists are under pressure to change our practices to respond to the demands of the marketplace. Excellent guidance is available through our professional societies.