Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania Gastroenterologist Shivan Mehta, MD, and colleagues examined whether providing patients with a choice between opting-in or out of a colonoscopy or providing them with a financial incentive would increase participation in relation to traditional scheduling.
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial with 2,245 participants and found:
1. When provided with a $100 incentive, 3.7 percent of participants underwent a colonoscopy.
2. Approximately 1.6 percent scheduled a screening through traditional methods (the control).
3. Around 1.5 percent opted into the screening when presented with an active choice.
Researchers concluded while there was no difference between the active choice and control groups, “The $100 conditional incentive modestly but significantly increased colonoscopy use.”
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