General Questions
How do I schedule an office appointment?
What do I bring to an appointment?
How do I obtain my test results?
How do I obtain my procedure results?
How do I request prescription refills?
Prep or Procedure Questions
What is the best clear liquid to take?
Is there a way I can make my prep taste better?
Can I drink alcoholic beverages?
What medications can I take the morning of my procedure?
What about taking medications the day prior to my procedure?
What if I forgot to take my blood thinners?
Can I have over-the-counter medications with my colon prep?
What do I do about my diabetic medications?
Can you give me something for nerves/anxiety?
Do I have to drink all of my colon prep?
Will there be any pain after the procedure?
Will I be sedated during my procedure?
Insurance Questions
If your office pre-certifies my procedure, doesn’t that mean my procedure will be covered?
How Do I Schedule An Office Appointment?
To schedule an office appointment, call our office at 270-393-4223 and speak with the Receptionist. If we are unable to take your call, please leave a message, including your name, date of birth, and phone number, and we will call you back to schedule your appointment.
What do I bring to an appointment?
- Bring a list of all medications you currently take, including over the counter and herbal supplements. Include the exact name of the medication, dose of medication, and how often you take it. Alternatively, you may also bring your medication in its original container.
- Bring any lab or x-ray reports that are pertinent to the reason you are being seen.
- Bring your insurance card and a method of payment for copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles, which are due on the same day a service is provided or scheduled.
- If you are a new patient, please bring a photo ID.
How do I obtain my test results?
If your findings are abnormal, our office will notify you of your results by telephone. You will not be notified if results are normal.
How do I obtain my procedure results?
You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment within 1-2 weeks following your procedure. Dr. Curtiss will give you and/or your companion preliminary results on the day of the procedure, but you are expected to keep your follow-up appointment in order to have any pathology or findings addressed and to formulate a treatment regimen. Any questions you may have will be answered at your follow-up appointment.
How do I request prescription refills?
Patients may request refills by calling the office and either speaking to office personnel or leaving a message. Please give 2 days’ advance notice for any refills whenever possible. We will generally not call you back to notify you the prescription has been refilled. Please check with your pharmacy directly.
Patients on proton pump inhibitors will need to be seen back in the office every 3 months and reassessed prior to refilling their PPI prescription.
What is the best clear liquid to take?
Gatorade is recommended due to the electrolytes it contains. Avoid Red/Blue liquids.
Is there a way that I can make my prep taste any better?
You can try sucking on hard candy. You can rinse your mouth with water or a mouthwash. Do not eat or drink anything other than approved liquids while you are drinking the solution.
Can I drink alcoholic beverages?
No, you may not have alcohol while you are doing your prep or the day of the procedure. Alcoholic beverages can cause dehydration and some wines may thin your blood.
Can I wear my dentures?
Yes, you may wear your dentures to the Endoscopy suite. However, you may be asked to remove them prior to the procedure.
I have been instructed not to take anti-inflammatories or blood thinners several days before the procedure. What can I take for headaches and pain relief?
You make take Tylenol as directed.
Can I chew gum or suck candy?
Yes, but nothing with soft centers or red color.
What medications can I take the morning of my procedure?
This is listed on your prepping instructions. You are allowed to take blood pressure, heart or seizure medications unless instructed otherwise by our physician or your primary care physician.
What about taking my medication the day prior to my procedure?
You can take all medication you have been prescribed EXCEPT blood thinners such as aspirin, Coumadin or Plavix. You should have received instructions on when these medications were to be stopped. If you have not been instructed to stop these medications, please call our office immediately.
What if I forgot to stop my blood thinners?
You will need to call our office and reschedule your procedure.
Can I have over-the-counter medications with my colon prep?
These are alright to take except for Vitamin E, ibuprofen or iron supplements.
What do I do about my diabetic medications?
If you take oral medication (pills), we ask that you not take it the day you are prepping or the day of your procedure. We also ask that you discuss this with the physician who prescribed the medications. If you take insulin, you should talk with the physician who prescribed the insulin so he/she can adjust your dosing accordingly for the day of the prep and the day of the procedure.
Can you give me something for nerves/anxiety?
No, we cannot give anything for anxiety before the test. The medications used for sedation will help with any anxiety you may be feeling.
Do I have to drink all of my colon prep?
Yes, we want your colon as clean as possible so that your doctor can see all of the colon.
Will there be any pain after the procedure?
No, there should not be any pain after the procedure. You may feel some discomfort that feels like gas pains.
When can I return to work?
You will be able to return to work the following day after your procedure.
Will I be sedated during my procedure?
Yes. You will receive moderate (conscious) sedation during your procedure to keep you comfortable. Plan to bring a driver with you who can drive you home and plan to avoid driving or making important decisions throughout the remainder of the day.
If my insurance fully covers screening services (such as colonoscopy), then won’t my procedure be fully covered?
Insurance companies often provide screening coverage for screening colonoscopy. However, if during the course of your screening the physician removes a polyp or performs a tissue biopsy, the procedure may be considered diagnostic and may not qualify for coverage as a screening service. In this case, you may be responsible for all or part of the procedure cost. It is important to investigate these matters prior to having a procedure.
If your office pre-certifies my procedure, doesn’t that mean my procedure will be covered?
No. Pre-certification is performed by our office as a courtesy to you in arranging for your procedure and is never a guarantee of coverage. In order for you to know the extent of your coverage for a service, you need to contact your insurance company to discuss specifically what is covered under your plan and the extent of payment required from you for deductibles and coinsurance.
