The Reimer Clinic

Rapid Access

The Reimer Clinic is pleased to offer rapid access to colonoscopy and gastroscopy. This generally means a procedure within two weeks of contacting us.

To qualify you need to be:

Generally healthy, and
Have a straightforward reason for needing a procedure.

About The Reimer Clinic

We are the first outpatient clinic for colonoscopy and gastroscopy in Waterloo Region.

Everyone over age 50 should have a screening colonoscopy to help prevent colon cancer. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in North America. Colonoscopy is the "preferred" test for preventing this deadly disease according to the American Association of Gastroenterologists. Testing the stool for blood, called FOBT testing, is better than no test at all, but it misses about 75% of advanced pre-cancerous growths or cancers. If you want to protect yourself from colon cancer, then a colonoscopy is your best option.

Our Services:

pre-endoscopy consultation with a gastroenterologist or general surgeon
screening colonoscopy for colon cancer prevention
colonoscopy and gastroscopy for diagnostic purposes
fast access
patients and referring physicians are treated with respect and dignity

All OHIP-covered services are "free" to all patients insured by a provincial health plan. Patients from all Canadian provinces are welcome.

Patients may contact us to book an appointment, but referrals from another physician are preferred where possible.

The Reimer Clinic - For Health and Peace of Mind

Screening and Prevention Options

How do I keep from getting colon cancer?

Several options exist to reduce your risk of dying from colon cancer. The recommended choices are the fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy.

The stool for blood test (also called the FOBT test) requires that several stool samples be sent for analysis to determine if blood is present in the stool. In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the FOBT test identified only 23.9% of patients who had an advanced pre-cancerous lesion as determined by a colonoscopy performed right after the FOBT test. This test needs to be repeated every two years. It reduces death from colon cancer as compared to no screening at all. It is considered a "cancer detection" test, and not a "cancer prevention" test. This is because cancers tend to bleed more often than do polyps that have yet to become cancerous. The Asia Pacific consensus recommendations for colorectal cancer screening suggest that this test is appropriate for use in resource-limited countries.

Weight Loss at the Reimer Clinic

The Jump6™ Weight Loss Management System

The Reimer Clinic is pleased to offer the Jump6™ weight loss management system that features the Obera gastric balloon.

The gastric balloon is a different type of weight loss system. It is not another diet plan and it is not surgery. The balloon provides you with a six-month kick-start to healthy weight loss. It is the ideal solution if you are looking to lose 20 to 40 lbs but do not want surgery and have found no success with diets, pills and other weight loss programs.

Colon Cancer Facts

What is colorectal cancer?

Colon cancer is 90% curable if caught early -- if caught late, it is 90% fatal. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in North America. In 2009 the Canadian Cancer Society estimates that 22,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 9,100 of us will die of it. Put another way, 1 in 14 men and 1 in 15 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy is the best test to prevent colon cancer.

How does colorectal cancer start?

Most cancers develop on the inner lining of the large bowel from gland-type polyps. You can think of polyps as flat lesions, like a pitcher's mound in baseball, or as pedunculated lesions like a mushroom. Some polyps are harmless and others grow to become cancerous. The pathway from normal mucosa, through a polyp stage to a cancer takes about ten years on average. Some cancers are more aggressive and grow more quickly; others more slowly. The photograph shows two polyps and a cancer.