The different masking policies are very interesting… (ETA: in Atlanta here)
100% masking required in Boston, at least at the 2 hospitals and Dr offices I have been to, within the last two weeks.
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DH went to the doctors last week. For the first time, no masks required.
My first colonoscopy was with this practice. My second one was with another practice, as the first practice wasn’t accepting my insurance. Now that my insurance is now accepted by the first practice, I went back to the first practice (the doctor I’d had at the second practice retired).
If I get another colonoscopy in 3 years (I usually let it go a bit longer…my 5-year plan has become a 6-year plan, so I imagine I might wait 4 years to the next one -because of a subpar cleanout- instead of 3, but we’ll see), I will probably NOT go back to this practice.
I didn’t like being challenged because I said I was told the HCWs would mask (reviewing the telephone tapes?). And what is wrong with HCWs that were not always masking during colonoscopies, considering what the procedure is???
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Ugh! I hate when insurance changes wreak havoc with health care!
My last colonoscopy was in early 2022 when most people were still wearing masks and they were required in medical/healthcare settings. You’d think any one performing or assisting a colonoscopy, which I consider a surgical procedure, would of course wear a mask, Covid or not. Hopefully by the time you need a follow up things will be different.
In NJ, the requirement to mask in healthcare offices became dependent upon the CDC designation of local risk. Most of my DR visits in the last 3 months have not required masks. My dentist still wears one but then he’s right up in your face and the patient has no choice in wearing a mask. My H’s office just recently dropped the mask requirement. He still wears one though most in the office don’t nor do most of the patients.
Where I live, dentists and hygienists were wearing masks, face shields, and gowns years before COVID-19. Probably they were sick of getting sick of whatever viruses patients breathed out while their mouths were open right in front of them. They added masking of reception staff and patients in the waiting area during COVID-19.
Other health care facilities around here still have mask rules for staff and patients. They probably realize that COVID-19 is not the only airborne virus that sick people seeking health care could bring in and spread. However, not everyone (staff or patients) in these health care facilities wears a high-filtration mask (N95, KF94, KN95, or equivalent filtration).
At the endoscopy center I worked at, doctors and techs always wore face shields during colonoscopies long before Covid because…well, you know.
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I switched dentists a bit before Covid and can’t remember much about whether they were masked or not. The current hygienist I see is always gloved, gowned, masked, shielded, wearing goggles and a cap. The last time I saw the dentist he was masked. It was amusing as he had stopped by our house the night before to give something to my H - they are fishing buddies.
I don’t know to what extent hospitals require masks. I was talking to a friend this morning. She works in a sub-acute rehab facility and they still require everyone, except patients, were masks. They are considered a long-term care facility in this regard. Every patient is tested upon admission. She told me they hadn’t had a patient test positive for a while, until Monday, when 6 people did. None of them had anything in common except their positivity.
My vet’s office requires masks!!
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Our dentist always masked. I have never seen Dr. H without a mask… until I ran into him at our kids’ school during a band concert! He recognized me, I did not recognize him! ‘Cause I haven’t seen more than half of his face! 
His kid was in the band, so he was there as a parent. 
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H had an ER visit last month, and masks weren’t required. We wore ours. There were people hacking, no masks … I didn’t want anything they had! My friend’s H had an ER visit a couple weeks prior to ours, at a different hospital, and she was not allowed in with him (his issue wasn’t life threatening). That hospital was where I had surgery during Covid, and I felt extremely comfortable with the precautions that they took. Honestly, I like the idea of masks being required in places like doctors’ offices & hospitals, where sick people are likely to be spreading germs (sometimes without knowing that they are).
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The three major hospital systems in my neck of the woods decided to keep their masks required policy for now. I really don’t mind that!
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Our hospitals all went mask optional within the last month. Of course my colonoscopy is next month. I wouldn’t ask someone like a cashier or restaurant server to wear a mask. I also wouldn’t ask other patients to wear a mask. In those cases I will be masked. But in a medical setting where I have to remove my mask as part of the procedure I have no problem asking medical professionals to mask up. There and in my home are the two places I feel I have the right to request that.
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I had my colonoscopy last November at an outpatient office associated with local hospital. No masks on office staff or most patients, but I wore mine as a precaution. Headed to eye doc appointment in medical office building adjoining hospital a few weeks ago and I parked in wrong spot and had to cut through hospital to get to this office. No masks in medical office building, but masks still required in hospital. I guess it’s better than nothing.
I am at the hospital right now waiting on a day surgery. Not only is the entire place mandatory masking, but I was required to take a Covid test as well.
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COMMENTARY
New Colorectal Cancer Data Reveal Troubling Trends
David A. Johnson, MD
DISCLOSURES April 10, 2023
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Although the past several decades have seen significantly greater emphasis on screening and disease prevention for CRC, it has also become increasingly apparent that the age profile and associated risks for this cancer are rapidly changing.
Evidence of this can be found in recently released CRC statistics from the American Cancer Society, which are updated every 3 years using population-based cancer registries.
The incidence in CRC has shown a progressive decline over the past four decades. However, whereas in the 2000s there was an average decline of approximately 3%-4% annually, it slowed to 1% per year between 2011 and 2019. This effect is in part due to the trends among younger individuals (< 55 years), in whom the incidence of CRC has increased by 9% over the past 25 years.
The incidence of regional-stage disease also increased by 2%-3% per year for those younger than 65 years, with an additional increase in the incidence of more advanced/distant disease by 0.5%-3% per year. The latter finding represents a reversal of earlier trends observed for staged disease in the decade from 1995 to 2005.
These recent statistics reveal other notable changes that occurred in parallel with the increased incidence of younger-onset CRC. There was a significant shift to left-sided tumors, with a 4% increase in rectal cancers in the decades spanning 1995 to 2019.
Although the overall mortality declined 2% from 2011 to 2020, the reverse was seen in patients younger than 50 years, in whom there was an increase by 0.5%-3% annually.
Available incidence and mortality data for the current year are understandably lacking, as there is a 2- to 4-year lag for data collection and assimilation, and there have also been methodologic changes for tracking and projections. Nonetheless, 2023 projections estimate that there will be 153,020 new cases in the United States, with 19,550 (13%) to occur in those younger than 50 years and 33% in those 50-64 years. Overall, 43% of cases are projected to occur in those 45-49 years old, which is noteworthy given that these ages are now included in the most current CRC screening recommendations.
Further underscoring the risks posed by earlier-onset trends is the projection of 52,550 CRC-related deaths in 2023, with 7% estimated to occur in those younger than 50 years.
My 28 y/o D had precancerous polyps found during a colonoscopy scheduled to evaluate for IBS or Celiac. I shudder to think what would have happened if she had waited until age 37, which was her recommended age to get screened (daughter of early colon cancer patient).
D1 is 3.5 years older than D2. Due to father’s history and younger sister’s results, her doctors have recommended she get screening colonoscopy asap. She is scheduled for next month.
I wonder what is causing these increased rates of CRC in the younger cohort. Very worrisome.
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It’s good that your D’s issues were caught early. My S had a colonoscopy when he was in his mid-20’s due to issues he was having. His ended up clear, but his doctor had warned him of the rise of early colon cancer. Like many health issues that seem to have been on the uptick in our lifetime, my belief is that it’s tied to chemical exposures and/or diet.
I have no family history of cancer that I know of.
Due to some bowel issue I had at age 32, my PCP ordered colonoscopy. A few pre-cancerous polyps were found and removed. Imagine if I had to wait until I was 50 (18 years later) for the first colonoscopy.
Since then, I have had several more colonoscopies and now is on a 5 year cycle. A couple of times, polyps were found and removed.
I would never get upset if the doctor wants me back in 3 years instead of 5 years. The way I look at it- the earlier they can detect an problem for me, the better.
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I might be the absolutely wimpiest poster on this thread, but I had my consult with the GI doc today. I liked him and his staff.
I have a choice for when to schedule between 7:00 am, 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30. Does it matter? Has anyone done different times and could compare?