A screening colonoscopy is recommended for everyone over 45 years old even
if you do not have any symptoms. Undergoing a screening colonoscopy can
prevent colon cancer by detecting and removing precancerous polyps before
they turn to cancer.
What is direct access colonoscopy?
Direct access colonoscopy allows for patients without any major symptoms
or medical problems to directly schedule a colonoscopy without the need
for an office consultation.
How do I know if I qualify for a direct access colonoscopy?
You must be 45 years-old or above. If you're younger than 45 years-old
but have a family history of colon cancer, please schedule a consultation
to determine if you need an early colonoscopy.
You must NOT have any significant GI symptoms:
Unexplained abdominal pain
Uncontrolled heartburn
Unexplained nausea or vomiting
Chronic unexplained diarrhea
Rectal bleeding or blood in stool
Unintentional weight loss.
Difficulty swallowing
You must NOT be on any of the following blood thinners (baby aspirin is ok):
Coumadin (warfarin)
Plavix (clopidogrel)
Xarelto (rivaroxaban)
Eliquis (apixaban)
Pradaxa (dabigatran)
Effient (prasugrel)
Lovenox (enoxaparin)
You must NOT have any of the following major medical conditions:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Morbid obesity with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 45
Recent heart attack or heart stent placed within the last 1 year
Recent pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) within the
last 6 months
Unexplained anemia
Preparation Instructions
If you a preparing for a colonoscopy, please
click here for important information.
How to schedule a colonoscopy.
At Gunnison Valley Health, we want to ensure you know what to expect when
undertaking a colonoscopy with our General Surgery Clinic.
A referral or doctors order is required for a colonoscopy.
A consultation appointment with a surgeon may be required prior to the
procedure. This is to determine the most appropriate procedure for your
condition.
Consultation appointments may not be covered by insurance carriers.
The colonoscopy procedure can be a covered benefit, based on your insurance
plan and the reason for the procedure. For example, a
screening colonoscopy is for those who do not have symptoms and a
diagnostic colonoscopy is required for those with symptoms.
Referrals for positive cologuard testing will require a follow-up diagnostic
colonoscopy that may not be covered by insurance.
We do encourage you to contact your insurance carrier to determine if you
will be charged a deductible or any out of pocket expenses.
