Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is not a difficult procedure and is often easier than expected. You should not feel discomfort since you will be sedated. The preparation for the exam can be a little unpleasant for some, but it’s the most important part of the exam. Please do a good job with your prep! Check out Dr. Brown’s prep video for tips on how to make this an easier process.

Some of the topics this page will cover are:

• Colonoscopy Procedure Overview
• Colon cancer screening guidelines
• Discuss the Open Access scheduling option
• Colonoscopy Costs/Fees
• Prep Instructions
• Explain what happens after the procedure

More importantly, remember that this is potentially a life-saving procedure. Colon cancer is the most curable cancer when detected in its’ early stages. Don’t put off getting screened for this treatable cancer.

A colonoscopy is a procedure used to see inside the colon and rectum. This procedure is utilized for many purposes including:

• Detecting inflamed tissue
• Ulcers
• Abnormal growths

Also, the procedure is used to look for polyps and early signs of colorectal cancer, which can help your Gastroenterologist in Plano, TX diagnose unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, anal bleeding, and weight loss.

The most common reasons for colonoscopy are:

1. As a screening exam for colon cancer in persons age 45+
2. As a screening exam for anyone with a family history of colon cancer or polyps
3. A change in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation or change in stool caliber)
4. Chronic abdominal pain
5. Rectal bleeding
6. Anemia (low blood count)
7. As a follow-up exam in people with colon polyps or colon cancer

The American Cancer Society recommends that colon cancer screening begins at age 45 for individuals considered at average risk, and follow-up screenings are done in 10-year intervals. This interval period could be shortened based on your initial colonoscopy results.

You’re at average risk for colon cancer if you do not have:

• Personal or Family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
• Personal history of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• Personal history of abdominal or pelvic radiation

If you have any of the above risk factors or are African American, you should discuss with your doctor when you should have your first colonoscopy. If you live in Plano or the Dallas area, you can contact our office at (972) 867-0019 or schedule an appointment online to learn when you should start screening.

Colonoscopy is the gold standard of colorectal screening exams since it is the ONLY one that allows your GI doctor the ability to BOTH detect and remove polyps in the same exam.

If you use a different screening exam and it has a positive result, you will then need to have a colonoscopy to verify the result and look for and remove polyps should they exist. Patients should chose the exam that best suites them, but this is an important factor to discuss with your doctor when deciding which colon cancer screening exam you will use.

The Open Access Colonoscopy scheduling option provides the ability for those considered to be at average risk to schedule a colonoscopy procedure without having a prior office visit with the gastroenterologist. All required information for this option is submitted online and confirmed over the phone.

This scheduling option saves the patient time and co-pay expense of an office visit. Dr. Brown’s goal is to encourage a higher participation rate in colon cancer screenings in Plano by making this procedure as accessible and affordable as possible to qualifying patients.

The cost varies based on whether it is a screening or diagnostic exam and the patient’s insurance plan. Since these factors can significantly impact the patient’s financial responsibility, I wanted to provide some insight into why some colon cancer screenings are coded differently than others.

• A screening colonoscopy is for those over the age of 45 with no symptoms (either past or present) and without a personal or family history of gastrointestinal disease, colon polyps, or cancer. Insurance will typically cover 100% of the cost of a screening exam once every 10 years beginning at age 45.
• A colonoscopy is classified as diagnostic if the patient has a past or present history of gastrointestinal symptoms or disease, polyps, or cancer.

Physicians have been fighting with insurance providers for years over these distinctions and the varying costs, but we are bound to specific coding guidelines. Other factors that can affect the cost of the procedure are facility fees, lab fees for a biopsy if needed, and anesthesia. I recommend discussing with your doctor and insurance provider these factors to make sure that you have a clear understanding of all expenses prior to the procedure.

I’m proud that our endoscopy center has one of the lowest facility fees in the Dallas area, which provides value to our patients. Offering expert healthcare while maintaining competitive pricing for our patients is important to my practice and the entire group of physicians at the Digestive Health Associates of Texas.

REMINDER: If you call a doctor’s office to schedule a colonoscopy and mention that you need the exam due to symptoms, it will be coded as a diagnostic exam. It’s important to clarify with your doctor the reason for the exam prior to calling the gastroenterologist’s office to schedule.

During the colonoscopy, Dr. Brown will pass a thin, flexible, lighted tube called a colonoscope into the anus and slowly guide it through the rectum and colon. The colonoscope contains a camera on one end which transmits a video image so that the doctor can carefully examine the inside lining of the large intestine. This procedure takes about 30 minutes during which the patient is sedated.

In preparation for a colonoscopy, the colon must be completely empty so the colon lining is completely visible. To clean the colon, your gastroenterologist will instruct you on taking a laxative pre-preparation in order to completely vacate your bowels the night before your test. In addition, you will be instructed to be on a liquid diet 24 hours prior to the procedure. It is important to read all instructions provided to you thoroughly in order to obtain the best results.