At Universal Gastroenterology, we support the recommendations of Bowel Cancer Australia to perform colonoscopy within 30 days of presentation for those with symptoms suggestive of bowel cancer or a positive screening test (for example, through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program). If wait times exceed 120 days, the prognosis can potentially worsen if cancer is present.
https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/a-colonoscopy-wait-time-and-performance-guarantee
We are proud to offer our patients direct-access colonoscopy (sometimes referred to as “open-access” colonoscopy. If your general practitioner sends us a referral (via fax to 03 9989 2778 or via email to office@universalgastro.com.au) we will contact you within 1-2 business days and arrange a short telephone consultation with our nurse or doctor prior to your direct-access colonoscopy (this short consultation is complimentary). We then book in your procedure at your earliest convenience, within 30 days.
Patients with private health insurance are not charged out-of-pocket fees (or “gap fees”) however your “hospital excess” may be payable to the facility on the day. Follow-up after the procedure can be in the specialist’s consulting rooms, or alternatively with your general practitioner if preferred. All results (including those from biopsies or “pathology”) will be sent to your referring GP.
For more complicated presentations (e.g. abdominal pain) or for patients with medical problems such as cardiac (heart) issues, lung problems such as COPD, anticoagulant use such as Eliquis, Xarelto, Pradaxa, Plavix (also known as clopidogrel or Iskover), Brilinta or those with obstructive sleep apnoea or diabetes, we request that you schedule an appointment with our specialist first prior to your procedure.
