Table 5.

Factors contributing to diagnostic delay

Factors that may have contributed to the development of delay (N = 69 cases)	Number of factors identified
Patient factors (N = 32 cases)	56
Frequent appointment no-shows	9
Patient declined evaluation	16
Comorbidity	18
Frequent appointment cancellations	4
Poor information from patient history	0
Noncompliance	0
Major psychiatric diagnosis	8
Homelessness	1
System factors (N = 61 cases)	212
Delay in CS scheduling due to backlog in VA	4
CS or FS missed the lesion(s)	10
Barium enema missed the lesion(s)	1
Incorrect interpretation of findings	1
Error in clinical judgment	1
Communication breakdown	1
Inexperience of clinician	0
Abnormal findings likely lost to follow up (N = 57 cases)	101
Review/obtain outside records	8
Wt loss	7
Anemia	41
Positive family history	2
FOBT request	4
Positive FOBT	22
Abnormal colon polyp biopsy	3
Abnormal imaging	2
Hematochezia	3
Abnormal findings lost to follow up with no patient factors identified	33