FOR PATIENTS

For patients who wish to have their procedures done at DVEC, please make sure you read over all of our exclusion criteria. Patients that fall within one or more of the exclusion criteria (below) should have their procedures done in a hospital setting instead.

Patients can book the procedure with DVEC if they meet the following criteria:

Patients who have a BMI less than 40
Patients who are between 18-75 years old
Patients who have moderate sleep apnea
Patients who have had a major surgery within a year need to wait 6 months before booking a colonoscopy appointment
Patients who have had a minor surgery need to wait 3 months to book a colonoscopy appointment
Patients who take antibiotics need to wait 30 days to book an appointment
Patients who are treated for Hpylori need to come back 6 weeks after being treated with Hpack to schedule another gastroscopy or book a Urea Breath Test
Patients who are treated for Hpylori need to come back 6 weeks after being treated with Hpack to schedule another gastroscopy or book a Urea Breath Test

You can ask your family physician to fax over a completed referral form to 416-638-5043. If you do not have a family doctor, you can print our referral form and ask a doctor at any walk-in clinic to fill it out.

Patients need to book directly with a hospital or speak with their family doctor if they fall into one or more of the exclusion criteria listed below.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria for a Screening-Related Colonoscopy

Patients who fulfill any of these exclusion criteria but have a strong indication for colonoscopy should be referred to an individual GI consultant for assessment.

Patient Characteristics

Age less than 18 years and greater than 74 years
Obesity Class 3: BMI 40 or greater*

Previous Surgery

Cardiac related surgery (CABG, angioplasty, or stent/grafts) within past 6 months.
All other surgeries (e.g., chest/abdominal, joint repair) within past 3 months

Medical History

Cardiac
Acute Coronary syndrome within 12 months
Myocardial infarction within 12 months
Angina with symptoms in past 6 months
Congestive Heart Failure. Moderate to severe with marked limitation of activity

Respiratory

COPD. Moderate to severe and poorly controlled
Home Oxygen or Oxygen dependent
CPAP with a BMI greater than 35*

Neurological

Cerebrovascular event with significant deficits or within past 12 months
Seizure disorder (frequent or poorly controlled)
Dementia or significant cognitive impairment

Hepatic/Renal

End stage liver disease (any history of variceal hemorrhage and/or coagulopathy and/or encephalopathy and/or ascites).
Chronic renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] less than 45 or creatinine greater than 150)
Dialysis

Other

Platelet count less than 100
Advanced HIV/AIDS
Any other condition that would impact life expectancy so as to make screening irrelevant.

*Note: Cases reviewed individually by screening facility.

We accept Health Cards from all provinces except Quebec.

For patients from Nova Scotia or other provinces who are on a long waiting list, we can book an appointment as fast as you can be available in Toronto. Please call us to book the appointment. You will need to book a hotel the day before the appointment and the day of the appointment, to rest.