Frequently asked questions

Yes. The clinic is open and accepting new patient referrals at 4610 Highway 7, Suite 200, Woodbridge. We are open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and one Saturday a month from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

If you have read something online suggesting otherwise, it is out of date. Referrals can be faxed to 905-856-2602 today.

Yes. Screening and diagnostic colonoscopy and gastroscopy are funded by OHIP for insured Ontario patients. You do not pay for the procedure.

Separately, there is a voluntary fee for uninsured services, which you can pay either as a single block fee of $60 valid for twelve months, or for each service individually at the time it is provided. Your booking sheet sets out what it covers. It is voluntary.

You need a referral. We are a referral-based clinic with no walk-in capacity, and all visits are by appointment.

Any physician can refer you: your family doctor, a walk-in clinic physician, or a specialist. They fax our referral form and the medical history form to 905-856-2602, and we call you to book. You can download the form and bring it to your appointment to speed things up.

Waiting times at the clinic are considerably shorter than at a hospital, which is the main reason the clinic exists. The exact wait depends on the time of year and how urgent your referral is. Call us at 905-856-2626 and we will tell you what we are currently booking.

Yes. We take referrals from across York Region and the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Brampton, Richmond Hill and the surrounding communities. There is a Toronto line, 416-516-COLO, if that is a local call for you.

We tell you at booking, and it will be either Peglyte or Pico-Salax. If you cannot remember or have lost the paperwork, call us before you start. Do not guess, and do not use a prep left over from a previous procedure. Both packages are on the preparation page.

If the bowel is not clear, the endoscopist cannot see the lining properly. Polyps get missed, and where the view is inadequate the procedure has to be cancelled and rebooked, meaning you go through the preparation again. This is the most common reason a procedure does not go ahead.

Tell us everything you take when you book, including blood thinners, diabetes medication and supplements. Some need adjusting beforehand and that has to be planned with your own doctor in advance. Do not stop any prescribed medication on your own.

Your health card, a list of your medications, your completed medical history and consent forms if you have not already sent them, and someone to drive you home. If you have difficulty with English, bring a friend or family member to interpret.

The procedure is 20 to 30 minutes. Allow about two hours at the clinic in total, for the assessment beforehand and recovery afterwards.

You are given sedation through an intravenous line to keep you relaxed and drowsy. You may be awake but are unlikely to remember the details. Air is used to inflate the bowel so the lining can be seen, which can feel uncomfortable or crampy for short periods.

No. You must not drive for 12 hours after sedation. Arrange for someone to collect you, and if you travel by bus or taxi somebody has to accompany you. Without a ride arranged, the procedure cannot go ahead.

Colonoscopy is very safe, but not risk-free. There is roughly a 1 in 1,000 chance of perforation, and roughly a 1 in 100 chance of bleeding up to ten days later where a polyp has been removed. There is a less than 5% chance of missing a sizeable polyp or significant lesion, and that risk is higher if the bowel is not adequately cleaned.

These are set out in full in the consent form.

Before you leave, on the day. You are given the findings verbally and a written report including a colour photograph. Your referring doctor gets a copy within 24 hours. If biopsies were taken, those results follow once the laboratory has reported.

Feeling bloated with some abdominal cramping is normal and settles. Unless the physician tells you otherwise, you can eat normally straight away, and most people go back to work the next day.

It means blood was detected in your stool sample. It does not mean you have cancer, and there are several possible causes. The next step is a colonoscopy to look at the bowel directly. Ask your family doctor to refer you.

The endoscopist. Any follow-up required is arranged for you, and our gastroenterologists will look after you for anything found during the examination.