Here are three notes on the relationship between ASCs and colonoscopies in 2025:
1. Gastrointestinal procedures make up a huge share of the most commonly billed services at ASCs, according to a March 13 MedPAC report. Of the 20 most commonly billed ASC services, eight are GI procedures involving colonoscopies, CRC screenings or endoscopies. Combined, these eight GI-related procedures accounted for nearly 28.3% of all Medicare procedure volume at ASCs in 2023.
2. AI is being increasingly utilized by gastroenterologists to support the administrative process surrounding colonoscopies and to enhance their accuracy and effectiveness.
“Artificial intelligence has become part of our practice. We’ve deployed an AI visual interface during colonoscopy, which can help detect precancerous lesions,” Omar Khokhar, MD, a gastroenterologist and partner at Illinois Gastro Health in Bloomington, told Becker’s. “Coming soon, we’ll use AI dictation for clinic visits and hope to use AI to scour our incoming queue to flag ‘high-risk’ referrals to bring them to the top of the list for scheduling purposes.”
3. An increased demand for colonoscopies has put further pressure on the shortage of anesthesia providers, something gastroenterology leaders are calling on lawmakers to address.
“After the American Cancer Society and GI societies recently changed the screening guidelines to begin screening colonoscopies at age 45 instead of 50, approximately 19 million additional individuals entered the pool of patients needing procedures,” Benjamin Levy, MD, a gastroenterologist and clinical associate of medicine at UChicago Medicine, told Becker’s. “Furthermore, the U.S. is experiencing a relative shortage of anesthesiologists and CRNAs due to preferences for propofol during GI endoscopy, increased surgical volume in general at ASCs, the baby boomer generation aging and an aging workforce. It would be great if the federal government could increase funding for graduate medical education in order to expand the number of residency spots to train more anesthesiologists and physicians in general.”
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