General Practitioners

• Primary Care
  You will be given an appointment with one of our doctors or nurse practitioners. You are asked to bring your insurance cards, co-pay, a list of any medication you are on, the dosage of that medication. If you have any medical records that may help with your care please bring them with you to the appointment. In order for us to better serve your medical needs; we have supplied our Patient Information Forms. Please complete the forms and bring them with you. As a reminder, if your insurance requires a referral from your primary care physician authorizing your visit, you will need to make sure that has been done.
• Emergency Care
  When you get emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.
• Colonoscopy
  A: Your bowel must be clean so that your doctor can thoroughly examine your colon. Many patients feel that the bowel prep is the most difficult part of a colonoscopy. But it is important that you do your best to fully complete the prep.
• Constipation
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Electrocardiogram
• Diarrhea

Internists

• Internal Medicine
  Dr. Richards graduated from the College of William and Mary. He obtained his Medical Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University/ Medis Internship and his Residency. His Gastroenterology Fellowship was completed at University of Virginia Medical Center. Dr. Richards is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.
• Gastroenterology
  The Gastroenterology Associates of Central VA web site may contain links to many other web sites. Gastroenterology Associates of Central VA cannot guarantee the accuracy of information found at any linked site. Links to or from external web sites sites not owned or controlled by Gastroenterology Associates of Central VA does not constitute an endorsement by Gastroenterology Associates of Central VA or any of its employees of the sponsors of these sites or the products or information presented there.
• Colon Cancer
  A strong family history of the disease (one second or third degree relative with colon cancer or one or more first degree relatives with colon cancer or colon polyps are at high risk)
• Endoscopy
  Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your procedure time.  If you are sick, call to reschedule your appointment.   To aid in preparing for your procedure, we remind you to review the instructions for your upper endoscopy.  Please read the instructions concerning medications.  For your safety you may not have anything by mouth after midnight prior to arriving for your appointment.  If you do not follow these instructions, your procedure will be postponed or cancelled.    Remember you must have a driver stay at the center and drive you home.   If you arrive without a driver, your procedure will be cancelled.   Please do not bring or wear jewelry or valuables with you.

Neurologists

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  Eartha Kitt: Always wanting to stay productive, Eartha filled time on movie sets and in dressing rooms doing needlepoint and tapestry, Shapiro says. Towards the end of 2006, she went to a rheumatologist to see if she could get relief from pain she felt in her hands, likely related to carpal tunnel syndrome. A series of tests revealed that Eartha was bleeding internally. A colonoscopy led to a diagnosis of stage III colorectal cancer. https://www.cancertodaymag.org/Pages/Fall2016/A-Force-of-Nature-Eartha-Kitt-Colorectal-Cancer.aspx Farrah Fawcett: June 2009 – Former “Charlie’s Angel,” Farrah Fawcett, died today at age 62 after a long struggle with anal cancer, her spokesman told media organizations. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090623/farrah-fawcett-obit

Radiologist

• Ultrasound
  Endoscopic Ultrasonography (EUS) allows examination of your esophageal and stomach linings as well as the walls of your upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. The upper tract consists of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum; the lower tract includes your colon and rectum. EUS is also used to study other organs that are near the gastrointestinal tract, including the lungs, liver, gall bladder and pancreas. A thin, flexible tube called an endoscope that has a built-in miniature ultrasound probe is used and the endoscope will pass through your mouth or anus to the area to be examined. Your doctor then will use the ultrasound to use sound waves to create visual images of the digestive tract.
• Radiology
  When you get services from an in-network facility, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, laboratory, surgeon and assistant surgeon services, and professional ancillary services such as anesthesia, pathology, radiology, neonatology, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and can’t ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.
• Chemotherapy
  Ruth Bader Ginsburg: United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at her Washington D.C. home on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. In announcing her passing, the Supreme Court said her death was caused by complications from metastatic cancer of the pancreas. Ginsburg was 87. In 1999, While being treated for an abdominal infection, doctors discovered Ginsburg had colon cancer. She was treated with a sigmoid colectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2020/07/ginsburg-cancer-learn Charles M. Schulz: An American cartoonist best know for his Peanuts comic strip. He died on February 12th, 2000 of complications from colon cancer. https://www.cancertodaymag.org/Pages/Winter2013-2014/Charles-Schulz-Peanuts-Colorectal-Cancer.aspx Darryl Strawberry: A former American baseball player, he was one of the most feared sluggers throughout the early 1990s. He was diagnosed with colon cancer 1998, he is a survivor. https://www.survivornet.com/articles/former-mlb-star-darryl-strawberry-beat-colon-cancer-twice-now-shares-messages-of-hope-faith-with-others-im-a-living-miracle/ Elizabeth Montgomery: An American film and television actress who is best known for her roles as Samantha Stevens on Bewitched. She was diagnosed in the spring of 1995. She had no chance of recovery, she died in the company of her children and husband, on May 18th, 1995. https://www.cancertodaymag.org/pages/Summer2012/elizabeth-montgomery-colorectal-cancer.aspx Ronald Reagan: 40th President of the United States, serving for two terms 1980-1988. He was diagnosed with colon cancer 1985 and skin cancer two years later, both were removed. He died after 10 years of struggle with Alzheimer’s. https://www.survivornet.com/articles/did-yo-know-ronald-reagan-had-colon-cancer-surgery-while-in-office-a-reminder-about-the-importance-of-screening/ Sharon Osbourne: An English TV host, writer, business woman, and the wife of Ozzy Osbourne. She was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2002. The doctors gave her a 33 percent chance of survival. She recovered and is still entertaining us today. https://www.survivornet.com/articles/5-truths-sharon-osbourne-learned-from-colon-cancer-after-you-get-over-the-shock-and-panic-you-realize-how-lucky-you-are-to-be-alive/ Tony Snow: An American political commentator, news anchor, columnist, radio host, and the third White House Secretary under President George W. Bush. He was first diagnosed in February 2005 and underwent surgery. About a year later the cancer reoccurred. He died on July 12, 2008 after the cancer had spread to his liver. https://coloncancercoalition.org/2011/11/23/warrior-wednesday-i-get-my-rear-in-gear-for-caregivers-because-of-betty-jo-and-tony-snow/
• Radiation Therapy

Dermatologists

• Skin Cancer

Allergists

• Allergies