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Getting an appointment
You need a referral from a doctor. Any doctor. It does not have to be a specialist, and you do not need to have seen a gastroenterologist first.
How a referral works
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Ask any doctor to refer you
Your family doctor, a walk-in clinic physician, or a specialist you already see. Tell them you would like to be referred to Vaughan Endoscopy Clinic. You can hand them our form to make it quicker.
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They fax it to 905-856-2602
Along with the medical history form. We cannot book you until both have arrived.
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We call you
We contact you directly to find a date that works, and we tell you which bowel preparation to use. Your instruction package and consent form follow.
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You come in once
Allow about two hours. You go home with your written report and photographs the same day, and your referring doctor has a copy within 24 hours.
Reasons people are referred
- Routine colon cancer screening, generally from age 50
- A positive or abnormal FIT (stool) test
- A family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
- Rectal bleeding or a change in bowel habits
- Unexplained iron deficiency anaemia
- Persistent heartburn, upper abdominal pain or trouble swallowing
- Follow-up after polyps were removed previously
What it costs
The procedure is covered by OHIP for insured Ontario patients. You do not pay for the colonoscopy or gastroscopy itself.
There is a separate voluntary fee for uninsured services: a $60 block fee valid twelve months, or pay per service on the day.
A $150 missed appointment fee applies if you give less than 72 hours notice. Appointment slots are scarce, so please call as early as you can if you need to change.
Had an abnormal FIT result?
It does not mean you have cancer. It means blood was found and the next step is to look at the bowel directly. Ask your family doctor to refer you for a colonoscopy, and mention the FIT result on the referral.
Who we cannot take
We are an out-of-hospital clinic without the escalation capacity of a hospital endoscopy unit, so some patients are safer having their procedure in hospital. Your doctor will check this before referring. It includes people with significant heart, lung, kidney, neurological or liver disease, anyone on blood thinners, insulin-dependent diabetics, and patients over 80.
Being outside the criteria does not mean you cannot be helped. Your doctor can refer you to one of our gastroenterologists’ offices for a consultation, and the right setting is arranged from there. Full criteria for referring physicians.
Already booked?
Your preparation is the part that decides whether the procedure goes ahead. We can turn the clinic’s instructions into exact times for your appointment.