Harris GI Associates

Gastroenterology Services We Offer

Gastroenterology is a medical specialty focused on treating the digestive organs.

• Direct Access Screening Colonoscopy program*
• Colon Polyps and Cancer
• Hepatitis 
• Heartburn
• Pepticulcer Disease
• Colitis
• Gallbladder and Biliary Tract Disease
• Nutritional Problems
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Pancreatitis

Direct Access Program

To accommodate healthy patients who just need a screening colonoscopy, Harris GI Associates and Western Carolina Physician Network have established a Direct Access Screening Colonoscopy program. Partnering with the gastroenterologists at Western Carolina Digestive, Dr. Philip Stack, Dr. Charles Barrier and Dr. Philip Tanner, this program allows a patient to be scheduled without a face-to-face visit prior to the procedure.

There are some requirements for this program:

• Patient should be asymptomatic, healthy and over 50 yrs of age.
• It is also open to patients with family history of colon cancer.
• Any patient with a personal history of colon cancer or colon polyps.
• You or your primary care provider can contact us directly to schedule your screening colonoscopy procedure. We will require physician notes and a complete medication list as well as reports and pathology from any previous colonoscopy you may have had.  If you have any underlying GI complaints, such as abdominal pain or changes in bowel habits, you will need a consultation with one of the providers prior to scheduling.  If you have medical conditions, other than GI, you may also be asked to have a consultation prior to scheduling.
• In offering our Direct Access Screening Colonoscopy program, we hope to encourage more patients to get screened for colon cancer.

*Harris GI and Western Carolina Physician Network are partnering with Western Carolina Digestive to make it easier to schedule a screening colonoscopy. Referrals are given for office visits.