Surveillance after Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis in a Safety Net Hospital

Our objective was to assess colorectal cancer (CRC) surveillance among a diverse patient population receiving care at a safety net hospital. We used administrative and clinical data to identify patients with a non-metastatic CRC diagnosis. We identified whether endoscopic surveillance occurred within one or three years of resection. Of the 253 CRC patients, 56% had colonoscopic surveillance within three years, but only 27% within one year of resection. Timely surveillance was more common for male, married, or more educated patients, those with more visits, and those with fewer comorbidities. After adjusting for confounders, there were no racial/ethnic differences in timely one-year surveillance, yet Black patients were more likely than Whites to receive timely three-year surveillance. In this safety net hospital, post-resection CRC surveillance was provided independent of patients' ability to pay. While care is equitable and favorable for Black patients, opportunities exist to increase timely surveillance of patients.