Las Vegas NowSteps to Take When Looking to Get a Colonoscopy

Steps to Take When Looking to Get a Colonoscopy

Patients throughout the valley are still scared of getting colonoscopies at local clinics. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself and still get your important medical procedure.

A lot of the fear and questions right now are about the re-use of vials of medicine and syringes. Not only is it okay for you to ask to see those medical tools be opened in front of you -- some are encouraging it.

New or re-used, it's the question patients are now stressing over when they go in for their colonoscopy. Administrator Nick Paciello of the Flamingo Surgery Center says if patients want to know for sure -- just ask.

"If a patient really wanted to see a vial and see us open it, we can certainly do that in their presence before they experience the anesthesia," said Paciello.

Paciello says the same goes for syringes. It's one way patients can feel comfortable.

"It has this plastic seal on top, and you just pop it off. It has been popped off, it is assumed to have been used," he said.

Rose Yuhos with the area health education center of southern Nevada says with the current health crisis, asking for tools to be opened in front of you is encouraged.

"It will eliminate fear on the patients part, eliminates the whole unknown. Oh I don't know if they really did or didn't -- it provides a level of security for the provider as well because now they know they are dealing with an informed patient," said Rose Yuhos, from Area Health Education Center of Southern Nevada.

For added peace of mind, you can also check a doctor's background. But remember, not every doctor is credentialed by the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners. Nurses and some specialty doctors are credentialed by their own boards. Unfortunately in Nevada, there's no one place online where you can find every practitioner.

"If it was an MD, or DO [Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine] or nurse practitioners, where are they credentialed and then they would need to go to that board to look for information about complaints and any concerns about practice," said Yuhos.

Just another reason to keep asking questions.

The Area Health Education Center says they will be working with the State Health Division to maybe have a central location to find information on doctors and facilities. They are still talking about how they want to do it.