Frequently Asked Gastroenterology Questions

Gastroenterology and hepatology are branches of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. Hepatology is a sub-specialty of gastroenterology that focuses on the liver, pancreas and biliary systems. A gastroenterologist is an internist who has completed specialty training in the treatment of digestive and liver disorders. Gastrointestinal disorders include disorders of the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, gallbladder and liver.

If you’re experiencing any new or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, rectal bleeding or abdominal pain, these can all be diagnosed and treated by a gastroenterologist. If you think your symptoms have lasted too long or are not being successfully treated, contact us or request an appointment.

During your first office appointment you will meet with a provider to explain your gastrointestinal symptoms and ask questions. You will receive an email five days prior to your new patient appointment asking you to complete necessary forms prior to your visit to minimize wait times. We ask that you arrive approximately 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment.

If you have had recent prior tests, please have copies of the results or make sure your primary care doctor has forwarded them to the appropriate office location prior to your appointment.

Your physician will give you detailed instructions regarding how to prepare for your colonoscopy including any dietary restrictions to be followed. In general, our clinical staff will provide you with prep instructions, where to obtain the prep solution for a colon screening and when to start the prep process.

Read more on how to prepare for your colonoscopy.

For more information on other procedures, click here.

Please contact your physician for any colonoscopy prep concerns as soon as possible.

If you are NOT on blood thinners, please continue with regular medications prior to the procedure.

If you ARE on blood thinners and/or Aspirin, you will be contacted prior to your procedure with further instructions.

If you are diabetic, you will be contacted prior to your procedure with modified instructions.

Yes. Our preps vary if you are insulin dependent or not insulin dependent.

Yes, depending on type of infection. In cases of severe respiratory infections or fever, you will need to contact your procedure location for further instruction.

Yes. A tampon may be worn during your colonoscopy.

A clear liquid diet is necessary the entire day prior to your procedure to ensure a complete prep and a better area to scope so that your physician can give you the best care possible. If your colon is not sufficiently prepped, you may need to reschedule your colonoscopy.

If you have not completed your prep or have eaten solid foods, please contact your physician’s office directly for further instructions.

Yes, you will be sedated for your procedure and comfortable throughout. The type of sedation you may receive may vary based on your medical risk factors and insurance coverage. Propofol is the most widely used sedation.

Yes, you may resume normal activities, as directed by your doctor, the day after your procedure.

Please follow all post-procedure instructions provided to you after the procedure.

You should not have significant abdominal pain after the procedure. If you do experience significant abdominal pain following your procedure, please contact your endoscopy facility immediately.

The procedure itself will take about 30 minutes. You can expect to be at the Endoscopy Center for approximately 2 hours or at the hospital for approximately 3 hours.

Understanding your health care coverage is important before scheduling any medical appointment. Each carrier and individual plan has a unique combination of benefits to help cover various portions of your health care costs.

We’ve created two guides that may help you ask the right questions and fully understand your unique health care benefits prior to an office visit or procedure at one of our facilities.

For an office visit, click here.

For a procedure, click here.