By Megha Shah, MD, Medical Director of Hospital Services
At Snoqualmie Valley Health, we want to help you stay healthy and keep doing the things you love. That means caring for you when you’re sick, but it also means making preventive care easier to access.
As Medical Director of Hospital Services, I see how important it is to remove unnecessary barriers between patients and the care they need. Colorectal cancer screening is one area where taking a proactive step can make an important difference.
Why colorectal cancer screening matters
Colorectal cancer screening can help find cancer early, when it may be easier to treat. Screening can also identify precancerous polyps, which can often be removed before they develop into cancer.
For adults at average risk, colorectal cancer screening is recommended beginning at age 45. If you’re 45 or older and haven’t been screened, or you know you’re due for your next colonoscopy, now is a good time to take that next step.
Healthcare shouldn’t be harder than it needs to be
You may know you’re due for a colonoscopy, but scheduling one can sometimes feel like a process: finding a provider, getting a referral, waiting for it to be processed and then scheduling your procedure.
At Snoqualmie Valley Health, we want to make that process easier.
Through our Direct Access Colonoscopy Program, eligible patients can contact us directly to begin the process of scheduling a screening colonoscopy without obtaining a referral from their provider first.
One phone call can get you started. From there, our team will determine whether you meet the criteria for direct access and guide you through the next steps.
Take the next step in your health
Preventive care is about taking action before something feels wrong. If you’re due for colorectal cancer screening, you don’t have to navigate the process on your own.
Call Snoqualmie Valley Health at 425-831-3537.
Our team will help determine whether the Direct Access Colonoscopy Program is right for you and work to get you scheduled, with appointments potentially available as soon as the following week.
We’ll also walk you through what comes next, including how to prepare for your colonoscopy, what to expect before and during the procedure, and what you need to know afterward.
Our goal is to make the experience straightforward, understandable and as comfortable as possible.
At Snoqualmie Valley Health, we believe healthcare should be accessible, personal and connected to the community we serve. Sometimes that means creating a new program. Sometimes it means removing one more step between you and the care you need.
If you’re due for a colonoscopy, the next step may be just one phone call away. Call 425-831-3537 to get started.