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Table 1 Patient- and system-related factors with diagnostic delay

From: Patient- and system-related barriers for the earlier diagnosis of colorectal cancer

Patient Factors

   Frequent appointment no-shows

   Frequent appointment cancellations

   Declined evaluation

   Medical comorbidity

   Poor-quality information from patient history

   Reference to patient noncompliance

   Significant psychiatric diagnosis

   Homelessness

System factors

   Scheduling delay for colonoscopy

   Incorrect Interpretation of results

   Judgment error by clinician

   Communication failure of clinician

   Inexperience of clinician

Abnormal findings likely lost to follow up

   Outside records not obtained

   Weight (wt) loss not evaluated

   Anemia not evaluated

   FOBT request

   Positive FOBT

   Abnormal flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or polyp biopsy results

   Abnormal barium enema or CAT scan results

   Lesion missed by colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy

   Lesion missed by barium enema