Convenient, Timely Care: Direct Access Colonoscopy

Photo montage of blue ribbon and March calendar

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and a great time to take advantage of Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center’s (PMC) Direct Access Colonoscopy Program. Available through the PMC Center for Digestive Health, the program helps speed the scheduling of routine screening colonoscopies, outpatient procedures that generally take only 15 or 20 minutes.

You can schedule a procedure without first having an office visit with a gastroenterologist if you meet these criteria:

Age 45 or over
Have a family history of colon cancer, are 40 or older, and have not been screened in the past
Have no significant heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease
Are not on blood-thinning medications other than routine aspirin
Have no history of stroke or blood clots
Do not have active asthma

Individuals who do not meet these criteria, or those who have specific gastrointestinal complaints, should discuss colonoscopy with their primary care physicians or schedule an appointment to see a gastroenterologist prior to scheduling a colonoscopy.

To find a physician affiliated with Penn Medicine Princeton Health, call 1.888.742.7496, or visit princetonhcs.org/directory.

Individuals who meet the Direct Access Colonoscopy criteria can call 609.853.6390, option 2, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy at locations in Plainsboro, Princeton, and Monroe.