Colonoscopy
PRIVATE COLONOSCOPY IN MONTREAL
COST: $1200 + $150 per polyp and/or biopsy.
Sedation included.
No referral needed.
Urgent and quick appointments within 1 week.
WHAT IS A COLONOSCOPY?
A colonoscopy is an in-depth examination of the entire colon. The doctor uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera to look inside your large intestine (colon), including the anus, rectum, sigmoid, descending (left) colon, transverse colon, ascending (right) colon, and terminal ileum, if necessary, with the goal of looking for any issues or signs of disease. Dr. Chow will take photos of anatomical landmarks and anomalies, and if applicable, biopsies will be taken and polyps removed for examination under the microscope by the pathologist.
The exam is performed under conscious sedation, given for patient comfort.
A straightforward colonoscopy takes approximately 30 minutes to perform during which the patient will be closely monitored. Thereafter the patient will remain in the recovery room for approximately 30 minutes while they wake up and vital signs are monitored.
WHY UNDERGO A COLONOSCOPY?
Patients may experience a variety of health problems and symptoms that indicate the need for a colonoscopy. Some of the most common symptoms we see include:
- Blood per rectum, or positive FIT (fecal immunochemical test)
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Change in stool frequency, size, texture, color
- Mucous in stools
- Pain
- Bloating
- Routine screening for colon cancer
- Screening post diverticulitis
- Surveillance for: polypectomy followup, IBD dysplasia, post cancer resection
The conditions that we commonly encounter and can be diagnosed during a colonoscopy include:
- Polyps
- Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
- Diverticulosis
- Cancer
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal fissures
RISKS
All medical procedures carry some risk. Thankfully with colonoscopies the risks are very low.
These include:
1% risk of bleeding
<0.1% risk of perforation
WHAT IS THE PROCESS?
Upon filling out the patient questionnaire, the patient will be contacted by our team to confirm the appointment date and time. Any other necessary medical information will also be obtained if necessary. You will present yourself to the clinic the morning of your test, at the time you will be provided. During this time, our medical team and nurse review medical information, check your vital signs, and insert an IV. Driving is prohibited after your test for the rest of the day, so please plan for somebody else to accompany you and drive you home.
WAIT TIMES
Upon filling out the patient questionnaire, our team will confirm your appointment within one business day. We will aim to offer you a procedure date within 1 week.
NO REFERRAL REQUIRED
As we provide private health care, a prescription from your doctor is not required to undergo a colonoscopy.
AFTERCARE AND REFERRALS
If there are abnormal results found during the procedure, Dr. Chow will take care of providing a prescription for medications if indicated, and/or referral to an appropriate gastroenterologist or surgeon depending on the pathology. Dr. Chow is in constant close contact with these specialists to ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible.
FEES
$1200 per colonoscopy: this includes:
- Initial pre-procedural consultation with the nurse and Dr. Chow,
- The colonoscopy under conscious sedation,
- Continuous monitoring in the recovery room,
- Discussion of the results with Dr. Chow after the procedure is done,
- A printed report with photos provided to you, and faxed to your family doctor,
- Any necessary prescriptions for medications and/or consultations to specialists,
- A phone call the following day of your procedure with our nurse will follow up with you
- A phone call from our team to discuss the final pathology results, if biopsies or polyps were taken.
- Polyp removal (polypectomy): $150 per polyp
- Tissue sampling (biopsy): $150 per biopsy
- Pathology/laboratory analysis: included
Note: Pathology is sent to a private laboratory. Results are typically received within 10-14 days, or sooner.
A non refundable deposit of $500 is required to secure your procedure time. The $500 will be credited towards the final amount. If you need to postpone your procedure for medical reasons accepted by Dr. Chow, your appointment may be postponed 1 time to a later date. The $500 deposit is redeemable within 1 year. It is also transferable to a family member or friend.
WHY ARE YOUR FEES LESS THAN THE COMPETITORS?
With our introductory pricing, we are a new clinic trying to establish our presence in the community and referral relationships. In no way do our more affordable fees indicate poorer service or quality of the procedures. In fact Dr. Chow has performed thousands of endoscopies for a local, competing clinic for over 10 years. He believes there is a better way to deliver endoscopies in private care in a more cost effective manner. We understand and appreciate this is a big cost to patients.
FEE TRANSPARENCY
We aim to be completely transparent when it comes to billing, with no additional surprise fees. We understand that this is a significant cost to patients and we aim to keep costs as low as possible.
| Services | Our clinic | Other clinics |
|---|---|---|
Colonoscopy | $ 1200 | $ 1700 |
1st biopsy or polypectomy | $ 150 | $ 200 |
Subsequent biopsies or polypectomies | $ 150 | $ 150 |
Additional charges for large polyps, tattooing, intubation and examination of terminal ileum, etc. | Included | Extra charges |
Other clinics may surprise you with a final bill closer to $2500 or more, after the multiple supplementary fees are added on. This comes as a shock to patients and they feel obliged to pay such a large cost.
INCOMPLETE COLONOSCOPIES
In rare cases, it may not be possible to complete the colonoscopy in its entirety to reach the cecum. This may be due to anatomical factors including tortuous shape of the colon, and/or patient factors including pain. In these cases Dr. Chow would try to reach as much of the colon as possible, whether it be the descending (left) colon or the transverse colon. Our priority at all times is to ensure patient comfort and safety, to avoid endangering the colon or causing a perforation. However these patients will require a virtual colonoscopy to check the remaining colon, for which Dr. Chow will refer you to a radiology clinic. Thankfully because of Dr. Chow’s breadth of experience, these do not occur commonly, at about 5% risk. There will be a 25% discount with incomplete colonoscopies.