Patient Education -- Ten Questions to ask your GI Endoscopist

The answers to all of these should be yes and should re-assure you that you are seeing a trained endoscopist who will safely and effectively perform your colonoscopy or other endoscopic procedure.

1. Are you a licensed medical doctor?
   

2. Have you had formal training in GI endoscopy?  Not learned during a short 2-3 day course or self instruction without supervised experience
   

3. Is your rate of cecal (total colon) intubation greater than 90%?
   

4. Do you perform more than 100 colonoscopies annually?
   

5. Do you have endoscopic privileges at a licensed health care facility or hospital?
   

6. Is polypectomy (polyp removal) routinely performed during elective colonoscopy?
   

7. Does your endoscopic facility have dedicated reprocessing
   (disinfection) personnel and equipment?
   

8. Do you offer intravenous sedation for colonoscopy?
   

9. Do you monitor blood pressure, pulse and blood oxygen levels during sedation?
   

10. Do you employ a trained endoscopic assistant or nurse?
    

IMPORTANT REMINDER:
The preceding information is intended only to provide general information and not as a definitive basis for diagnosis or treatment in any particular case. It is very important that you consult your doctor about your specific condition.