Logan Health Digestive Center is now allowing patients to refer themselves for colonoscopies in an effort to make colorectal screenings more accessible.  

Patients seeking a colonoscopy can fill out an online questionnaire available at logan.org/digestive/. After a review from a Digestive Center team member, the clinic will contact the interested patient. Eligible patients will then be scheduled for the procedure.  

The streamlined process allows patients to bypass the traditional referral process, reducing barriers to care and providing more timely access to colorectal cancer screening — helping prevent delays in a screening that can detect cancer before symptoms appear, officials said. 

Despite being one of the most preventable forms of cancer, colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Many deaths can be prevented through routine screening, which can identify polyps before they become cancerous or detect cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage. 

In 2018, the American Cancer Society lowered the recommended screening age for average-risk adults from 50 to 45 in response to rising colorectal cancer rates among younger adults. While researchers continue to study the causes of the increase, experts believe factors including lifestyle and environment may contribute to the trend. 

Screening rates among eligible adults remain low — especially among younger adults. Research has found that only about one in four adults aged 45 to 49 are up to date on colorectal cancer screening, highlighting the need for increased awareness and access to preventive care. 

Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening. For individuals at average risk with normal results, screening starts at 45 and a follow-up is typically recommended once every 10 years. Individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer or other risk factors should seek screenings earlier. 

Other risk factors include a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, personal history of polyps or colorectal cancer, having inflammatory bowel diseases (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), having inherited genetic syndromes (such as Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis), having type 2 diabetes and being of certain racial or ethnic backgrounds — including African American, Native American, Alaska Native and Latino populations.