Digestive Care

The Endoscopy Center at BID Milton is a modern and comfortable hospital-based suite offering cancer screenings and diagnostic exams, including upper and lower endoscopies. We can diagnose many conditions in our Endoscopy Center, including:

• Acid reflux disease (Barrett’s esophagus)
• Colon and rectal cancers
• Crohn’s disease
• Peptic ulcer disease

When you come to the BID Milton Endoscopy Center, you’ll find:

• 12 private pre- and post-procedure rooms.
• Dedicated waiting and reception areas.
• Four large procedure rooms.

Arranging a Ride Home Before the Day of Your Test

• It’s important to arrange a ride home from a family member, friend or responsible adult after your procedure. Your driver must stay on site during your test and take you home when you are ready to be discharged. There is plenty of free parking in Milton.
• If you take a cab or ride share app to your test, you need to have a family member, friend or responsible adult take you home. We cannot make any exceptions to this policy, which we strictly enforce for your safety.
• However, you may be exempt from this requirement if you plan to undergo the procedure without sedation. If you’re interested in doing so, you must first discuss it with your doctor.

Medication Tips & Information

• On the morning of your procedure, you can take an approved daily medication with a small sip of water.
• If you take a blood-thinning medication or anticoagulant, special instructions apply. You should have spoken with the prescribing doctor to get instructions on management.
• If you have diabetes, please contact your managing physician for any changes needed to your medication the day before your test. If you have an insulin pump, please discuss management with your diabetes doctor before your procedure.
• If you take injectable medication for diabetes or weight loss (GLP-1 agonists), be aware that these require special holding instructions and often need to be held eight days before your procedure.
• If you take Aspirin, NSAIDS or other pain medications, you may take them as usual. It is not necessary to stop them prior to your procedure.
• If you are taking iron or a supplement that includes iron, please stop taking it for seven days prior to your colonoscopy.

Pregnancy

If you are or may be pregnant, please consult your primary care or OB/GYN doctor prior to your appointment to discuss better timing options for your GI procedure, as well as the best approach to anesthesia and sedation for you.

Insurance Referrals

Please make sure you have obtained an insurance referral/authorization for you procedure if one is required by your insurance company. If you have questions please reach out to the scheduling office for your doctor or call the customer services number on your insurance card.

• You should arrive 30-45 minutes before you procedure. There is plenty of on-site parking and a drop-off zone at the main entrance.
• Enter on the Highland Street side of the hospital. When you enter the hospital look for the Surgical Services desk and proceed to check in there.
• Bring you photo ID and health insurance information for check in. Once you are checked in, a team member will walk you to the endoscopy unit, where a nurse will review your medications and medical history.
• Bring a current medication list to share with them. If you are receiving sedation for this procedure, you will also be visited by a member of the anesthesia team. An IV will be placed in your arm and our team will transport you to the procedure room.
• Before sedation or anesthesia is administered, you will speak to the GI physician about the procedure, have a brief physical exam, and sign a consent form agreeing to undergo the procedure.
• Sedation or anesthesia will then be administered, which will take effect within a few minutes. The procedure will then be performed.
• After your procedure, you will spend some time in recovery before heading home. Since you cannot leave alone (discussed above), your designated family member, friend or responsible adult will take you home once you are discharged.
• Medical procedures don’t always go according to plan, so there may be some delays on the day of your procedure. We thank you in advance for your understanding.

Recovering from Sedation

Most patients receive sedatives for these procedures. As you recover from the sedatives, avoid work or school and don’t make any important decisions. If you normally care for children or disabled relatives, seek support for these responsibilities on the day of your test. You may resume normal activities the next day unless discussed with your physician.

Going Home

You will stay in our recovery area for about 30 minutes after your procedure. A nurse will monitor your recovery and review your discharge instructions with you.

GI specialists at BID Milton work closely with other doctors at the hospital — including primary care physicians and board-certified general and colorectal surgeons — to ensure you get the full scope of care you need.

If you need a higher level of specialty GI care, we partner with our colleagues at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. We’re proud to offer this collaborative care with a major academic medical center.