Referring Providers

Board-certified gastroenterologists in Temple City, partnering with physicians across the San Gabriel Valley

Which referral does your patient need?

Colonoscopy only

Direct access colonoscopy

No referral form and no office visit

For average-risk patients without GI symptoms who need a screening colonoscopy, polyp surveillance, or follow-up after colon cancer. Your patient completes a 5-minute online questionnaire, and we call them to schedule the colonoscopy.

Open the patient questionnaire See who qualifies

Everything else

Referral for an office consultation

Send a referral, and our GI doctor sees your patient first

For patients with GI symptoms, liver disease, or abnormal tests or imaging, and for patients who need a colonoscopy but don’t qualify for direct access (for example, on a blood thinner, with a serious heart, lung or kidney condition, or on another HMO plan).

Refer for a consultation Other ways to refer

Direct access colonoscopy · No referral needed

Need a colonoscopy for your patient? Skip the consult.

Patients without GI symptoms or major medical problems can go straight to colonoscopy, with no office consultation first. Most patients who need a colonoscopy qualify.

Open the Patient Questionnaire

Your patient completes it online in about 5 minutes.

  1. 1
    Check the criteria belowIf your patient can answer “no” to every item, they qualify.
  2. 2
    Patient fills out the questionnaireOnline, about 5 minutes. Or they can call us at 626-898-4560.
  3. 3
    We schedule the colonoscopyAt Valley Digestive Health Center in Arcadia, with one of our gastroenterologists.

Who qualifies for direct access

  • First screening colonoscopyAverage-risk adults due for colorectal cancer screening
  • Polyp surveillanceFollow-up colonoscopy after colon polyps
  • Colon cancer in remissionPatients with a history of colon cancer may also qualify

Direct access is available for PPO, Medicare, Optum Medical Group, and Regal/Lakeside patients. Other HMO plans need a referral and an office visit first.

Refer for an office consultation first if your patient has any of these

  • GI symptoms: unexplained abdominal pain, uncontrolled heartburn, unexplained nausea or vomiting, chronic diarrhea, blood in the stool, or unintentional weight loss
  • Blood thinners other than low-dose aspirin (under 100 mg), such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), dabigatran (Pradaxa), prasugrel (Effient), or enoxaparin (Lovenox)
  • Severe COPD or other serious lung disease, or home oxygen
  • Congestive heart failure, or kidney failure on dialysis
  • Severe obstructive sleep apnea
  • BMI of 45 or higher, or wheelchair dependence
  • Heart attack or heart stent in the last year
  • Pulmonary embolism or DVT in the last 6 months

Any of these? Please refer for an office consultation instead.

None of these? Your patient qualifies

  • No office visit needed before the colonoscopy
  • The patient answers the online questionnaire, which double-checks eligibility
  • Our team calls the patient to schedule and sends prep instructions in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, or Chinese
  • Performed by one of our gastroenterologists at Valley Digestive Health Center, 488 E Santa Clara St #102, Arcadia

Ready for direct access?

No referral needed: give your patient this link, or open it with them now. If they qualify, our team will contact them to schedule.

Questions about the program? Call 626-898-4560 · Fax 626-898-4561

Office consultation

Refer a patient for a consultation online in a few minutes.

For patients with GI symptoms or liver disease, or who don’t qualify for direct access. Our secure online form looks up your NPI to fill in your details, lets you attach records, and can email you a confirmation. We contact your patient to schedule.

Start a consultation referral

Prefer fax or phone? See all the ways to refer.

  • Same-day reportsWe fax the note, results or procedure report back to you, usually the same day.
  • Colonoscopy without a consultEligible patients without GI symptoms go straight to colonoscopy.
  • Your patients’ languageEnglish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Spanish and Indonesian.

How to refer a patient for a consultation

Only need a colonoscopy for a patient without GI symptoms? Use direct access instead: no referral needed.

  1. 1

    Online referral form Fastest

    Submit securely from any device. Attach medical records (up to 10 files), and refer more patients without retyping your details.

    Open the referral form
  2. 2

    Fax or email our referral form

    Download and fill out our printable referral form, then fax it to 626-898-4561 or email it to templecity@uniohp.com.

    Download referral form (PDF)
  3. 3

    Call our office

    For urgent referrals, questions, or an inpatient consultation at a hospital where we have privileges, call us Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–5:00 pm.

    Call 626.898.4560

Please don’t use the online form or email for emergencies. We are always happy to discuss your patients: call 626.898.4560.

What Our Patients Say

Thousands of patients have rated our doctors on Google, Rater8 and Healthgrades.

Google  Our office and doctors Office · Dr. Nguyen · Dr. Chen · Dr. Pan
rater8 4.91,935 ratings for our doctors Dr. Nguyen · Dr. Chen · Dr. Pan
Healthgrades 4.9292 ratings for our doctors Dr. Nguyen · Dr. Chen · Dr. Pan
Dr Nguyen is friendly, knowledgeable & very skilled - this is the 2nd time I had an appt w/ him & he was great.
Healthgrades · about Dr. Nguyen · Jul 2026
As always Doctor Chen was curious, respectful, Professional, he knows his job and does it well. Everytime I visit his office I honestly feel cared for. Today it seems to have become a rarity. I highly recommend Doctor Chen to everyone.
rater8 · about Dr. Chen · Oct 2026
Dr. Pan was thorough on explaining the procedure and the potential complications that could arise. The epitome of professionalism and being courteous to his patients.
Healthgrades · about Dr. Pan · Jul 2026

Selected recent 5-star comments. Star scores include all ratings. Rater8 and Healthgrades update daily; Google loads live from Google.

Read all Google reviews: Temple City office · Dr. Nguyen · Dr. Chen · Dr. Pan

Why physicians choose us

We aim to provide exceptional GI care and to be a valuable partner to local referring physicians and PCPs, with evidence-based, cost-efficient care for patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

You stay informed

After each visit or procedure, we fax the progress note, results, or procedure report to the referring physician, usually the same day.

Direct access colonoscopy

Average-risk patients without GI symptoms or major medical problems can schedule a screening or surveillance colonoscopy with no office consultation first. How it works.

Complex GI and liver care

Board-certified gastroenterologists experienced in complex GI and liver disease and advanced procedures, including ERCP, capsule endoscopy, esophageal manometry and FibroScan. We report quality data to GIQuIC.

Care in your patients’ language

Our providers speak English, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Spanish and Indonesian, and prep instructions come in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese.

Most plans accepted

In network with most PPO plans and Medicare, and we work with many local medical groups (IPAs), including Optum and Regal/Lakeside. Accepted insurance.

Office and hospital care

A Temple City office with free parking, procedures at Valley Digestive Health Center and USC Arcadia Hospital, and inpatient consultations at local hospitals where we have privileges.

Ready to refer a patient?

Colonoscopy only, no GI symptoms: send your patient the direct access questionnaire. Everything else: refer for a consultation online, fax 626-898-4561, or call 626.898.4560.

Refer for a consultation