South Bay Gastroenterology Medical Group’s physicians physicians are all board-certified in gastroenterology and are highly trained professional specialists, each of which has had extensive experience and expertise in the care and treatment of a wide variety of gastroenterological problems. As such, they perform a number of related procedures mostly, but not always, on an out-patient basis. The most common procedures performed by South Bay GI’s physicians include Upper GI Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, ERCP, and Endoscopic Ultrasound, all of which utilize video endoscopic devices. In general, “Endoscopy” refers to the use of an endoscope – a thin, flexible tube with a tiny video camera at its end which transmits its images to a video screen, allowing the gastroenterologist to diagnose and treat various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Insurance Billing
Our insurance department is available to answer your questions from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday by dialing (310) 539-2059. If you find it more convenient than mailing a check, you may pay your bill using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and ATM. We accommodate a large number of insurance carriers. A partial list includes:
Aetna
Blue Cross PPO
Blue Shield PPO
Cigna PPO
Great West PPO
Keenan & Assoc.
Medicare
Motion Pictures
Pinnacle
THIPA
UFWC
United Healthcare
Frequently Asked Questions
Please click on the questions below to reveal the answers:
A: Yes, you will be sedated during your procedure. In most cases the sedative used is Propofol.
A: No, you may not drive yourself home. You MUST have a driver (friend, family member) drive you home and make sure that you have made it inside your home safely.
A: No, you may not take a taxi home. Taxi drivers will only drop you off curbside. Since you will be sedated for your procedure, someone will need to ensure that you make it inside your home safely.
A: You will be at the Endoscopy Center for approximately two to three hours. Most procedures take about 15-30 minutes.
A: We recommend you take a half day off from work the day before your procedure to complete the bowel prep. You will need to take the entire day off the day of your procedure. You may return to work the day after your procedure. (Of note: If you are scheduled for an Endoscopy only, you will only need to take the day of your procedure off from work.)
A: No you do not need a referral to be seen.
A: It depends on the provisions of your policy. As a courtesy our authorizations department will verify your benefits and obtain an authorization from your insurance if needed. They will inform you of any deductible or co insurance amounts that will be due.
A: Yes you can. We recommend Smart Water which you can find at any grocery store or pharmacy. It also has electrolytes to keep you hydrated.
A: Unfortunately Dulcolax is a laxative and may cause some abdominal cramping.
A: We recommend drinking the solution within two hours, but if your stomach feels too full or nauseated, wait until you are able to tolerate more. Take your time, as long as you finish by midnight the night before your procedure.
Forms
To access and print any of the following forms on-line, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. If you already do have Acrobat Reader — just click on the desired form and it will open in a new window. To print it out on your local printer, click on the printer icon above the form. (all forms must be filled out prior to first appointment)
