Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2021

KH . ORG 19 KeepingYou Safe During COVID-19 Avoiding COVID-19 shouldn’t mean avoiding regular screenings to help find and treat cancer early. Our team is working hard to ensure a safe environment for our patients and staff. Here are just a few of the ways we’ve adapted our care strategies during the pandemic. Pre-procedural COVID-19 testing: Depending on community By Andrea Nagel It’s been easy to put off regular doctor visits and screenings due to COVID-19, but regardless of what is happening around us, receiving important checkups and screenings is vital to our long-term health. Colorectal cancer is the No. 2 cancer killer in the U.S., but thanks to screenings tests such as colonoscopies, it doesn’t have to be. According to David Johnson, M.D., Kootenai Clinic Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, catching colorectal cancer early is the key to improving survival rates and quality of life. “Recent modeling done in Europe has studied the effects of delaying various cancer screenings and the COLONOSCOPY Don’t DelayYour This important screening can be lifesaving effects on patient outcomes,” said Dr. Johnson. “Delaying screenings can have an impact. When they looked at the outcomes of delaying colorectal cancer screening for a year or more, it showed an increase in mortality of up to 10 percent.” When colorectal cancer is caught early in stages I or II, the five-year survival rate is about 90 percent. However, when the cancer is diagnosed in stages III or IV, the average five-year survival rate dips to just 10 to 12 percent. Delays in screening are associated with a higher stage at diagnosis. “Like other types of cancer, if you’re waiting for symptoms to appear before getting screened, it Questions about colorectal screenings? Visit KH.org/gastroenterology to find a specialist or call (208) 625-4601 . can often be too late,” Dr. Johnson said. “If you’re nearing the regular screening age, or if you haven’t received a screening in some time, talk with your primary care provider about getting on an appropriate screening schedule.” A steady rise over the last couple of decades in rates of colorectal cancer among younger middle- aged adults has also spurred the American Cancer Society (ACS) to change its guidelines for when people should start screening. The ACS now recommends that people at average risk for colorectal cancer begin screening at age 45. People who are at increased risk for the cancer may want to start colorectal cancer screening before age 45 or be screened more often. There are many screening tests available, including noninvasive stool tests. The ACS doesn’t endorse a particular test, but they do stress regular screening and a follow-up with a colonoscopy if the results from another test are positive. Talk with your doctor and insurance company about what will work best for you. data, patients will receive a COVID-19 test before a scheduled procedure. Car as a waiting room: Patients can now wait in their vehicle instead of a crowded waiting room. We have dedicated parking spots near the clinic doors just for endoscopy patients. Modifications to scheduling: We’ve adjusted our scheduling and arrival times to minimize contact between patients and maintain adequate social distancing. Patient support person waits outside: Our staff are now escorting patients from their vehicle to the main lobby and back following their procedure. Special accommodations can still be made for certain patients. Increased protective equipment and sanitization: While we’ve always done a great job of cleaning, sanitizing and wearing proper protective equipment, we’ve increased these efforts to help ensure a safe, clean environment. David Johnson, M.D.