Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 2024/01, 124(1):39–42. doi: 10.1515/jom-2023-0149, type of study: ,art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Free full text   (https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/jom-2023-0149/html)

Keywords:

article [2634]
cancer screening [4]
colonoscopy [6]
colorectal cancer [6]
gastroenterologists [3]
physicians [334]
USA [1751]

Abstract:

The United States is currently facing a physician shortage crisis including a lack of specialist providers. Due to this shortage of specialists, some primary care providers offer colorectal cancer screenings in communities with few gastroenterologists, especially in under-resourced areas such as rural regions of the United States. However, discrepancies in training and procedural outcomes raise concerns regarding informed consent for patients. Because osteopathic physicians play a critical role in addressing the physician shortage in these under-resourced communities, this commentary may be especially useful because they are likely to encounter these ethical complexities in their day-to-day practice.