Gastroenterologist Serving Fort Pierce, FL

Fort Pierce patients — from across the Treasure Coast — choose the drive to Gastro in Florida in Okeechobee for faster access to a board-certified gastroenterologist. Dr. Vikram Tarugu has over 20 years of experience and more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, and he performs colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, ERCP, and endoscopic ultrasound for patients from Fort Pierce. There is no office in Fort Pierce: your consultation and follow-up can start with a televisit or at our Wellington office, and your procedure is done in one trip — colonoscopy and upper endoscopy in our Okeechobee outpatient endoscopy suite, and hospital-based procedures at HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital in Okeechobee or at Wellington Regional Medical Center — whichever is closer to you. Screening colonoscopy starts at age 45; self-pay colonoscopy starts at $600, and most major insurance is accepted. Most insurance plans do not require a referral — call us and we will check yours. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Call (863) 824-3447 to schedule.

On this page: Cost and Insurance | Driving From Fort Pierce | Advanced Endoscopy For Fort Pierce

The Drive from Fort Pierce to Okeechobee: US-98, About an Hour

The drive from Fort Pierce to our Okeechobee office, 201 SW 16th St, Okeechobee, FL 34974, is about an hour (about 55 minutes, about 40 miles) in usual traffic, according to Google Maps. The fastest route is west on FL-70 W, then onto SW 16th Street — turn onto SW 16th Street and the office is on your left. An alternative, also about an hour (about 53 minutes, about 42 miles), is Florida’s Turnpike to FL-70. Allow extra time in the morning, and remember that you will need a driver for the trip home after any procedure done with sedation — you cannot drive yourself home. Plan the drive with your driver before the day of your procedure, and tell us if the drive, or the prep the day before, will be difficult for you; we will help you plan around it, including a televisit consultation before the procedure.

Advanced Endoscopy For Fort Pierce Patients — ERCP, EUS, ESD, and EMR

Fort Pierce patients often come to us for advanced procedures that are not available locally. Dr. Tarugu performs ERCP for bile duct stones and blockages, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for pancreatic cysts and masses and for staging, and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for larger polyps and early lesions that cannot be removed by an ordinary colonoscopy. Those hospital-based procedures are performed at HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital in Okeechobee or at Wellington Regional Medical Center — whichever is closer to you. He holds active privileges at both hospitals. For more complex problems, advanced endoscopy is the reason many Fort Pierce patients make the trip, because these procedures need an advanced endoscopist — and that is exactly the kind of case Dr. Tarugu’s practice is built for. See our ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound, and upper endoscopy (EGD) pages for what each procedure involves, and ask us whether an advanced endoscopic approach may be possible for your case.

Patient Story: Carlos Vega, Fort Pierce

Carlos Vega, a Fort Pierce man, had a large colon polyp that Dr. Tarugu removed by EMR (endoscopic mucosal resection) — an advanced technique for removing larger polyps by endoscopy, rather than surgery. He is now cancer-free. His story is about a polyp that could have meant surgery elsewhere, removed by endoscopy instead — and it is why the drive to Okeechobee was worth it for him. If you have been told a large polyp needs surgery, or that your case needs an advanced approach, a second opinion is worth asking for: an advanced endoscopic approach may be an option, and we can review your case and tell you honestly whether it is.

How a Visit Works for a Fort Pierce Patient

Because there is no office in Fort Pierce, we try to make the trip count. Your consultation can start with a televisit — a video visit with Dr. Tarugu — where appropriate, so the plan is agreed before you drive. Your procedure is then done in a single trip: colonoscopy and upper endoscopy in our Okeechobee outpatient endoscopy suite, with sedation and same-day results, and hospital-based procedures at HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital in Okeechobee or at Wellington Regional Medical Center — whichever is closer to you. Your follow-up, including a review of biopsy results, can often be done by televisit, so you do not have to drive again unless a visit in person is needed. Before your procedure we will give you written prep instructions; see our prep instructions page for the instructions and forms for your procedure. Screening colonoscopy should start at age 45, and colon cancer screening is one of the most common reasons Fort Pierce patients make the trip.

How Long Does a Colonoscopy Take?

A colonoscopy for a Fort Pierce patient usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes in the room, plus preparation and recovery before you are ready to go home. That is the time the procedure itself takes. Patients should plan about two to three hours for the whole visit, including arrival, preparation, the colonoscopy, and recovery after sedation. The drive to Okeechobee is a separate trip cost: about an hour each way, and you need a driver to take you home after sedation, so bring a responsible adult who can stay with you for the rest of the day.

Cost & Insurance

We work with most major plans — call and we will verify yours before your visit. Most plans do not require a referral — we will check yours. Screening colonoscopy is covered by many plans as a preventive service, but coverage can depend on whether a procedure is for screening or for symptoms, and on your plan’s deductible and copay, so please check with your plan and with our office in advance. For patients without insurance, self-pay colonoscopy starts at $600 at our Okeechobee office. A Scholarship/hardship program exists for qualifying patients — see our Scholarship program or ask our office for details. Hospital-based procedures may also include a hospital facility fee, so please check with the hospital and our office in advance. Our office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.

Frequently Asked Questions — Fort Pierce

Is there a Gastro in Florida office in Fort Pierce?
No. There is no office in Fort Pierce. Your consultation can start in our Okeechobee or Wellington office, or by televisit, procedures are done in our Okeechobee or Wellington outpatient endoscopy suites, or at Wellington Regional Medical Center for higher-risk patients, and follow-up can often be done by televisit.

How long is the drive, and do I need a driver?
The drive is about an hour (about 55 minutes, about 40 miles) via FL-70 W. Yes, you need a driver: after any procedure done with sedation, a responsible adult must drive you home and stay with you for the rest of the day. The drive back to Fort Pierce is too long to attempt after sedation.

What if my anemia has no clear cause?
Not directly. Anemia, or low haemoglobin, is sometimes connected to bleeding in the bowel or problems with iron absorption, and an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy can find a cause. When no cause is found at colonoscopy, or when bile duct or pancreatic problems are being looked at, ERCP or EUS can help; they are hospital-based and are planned with the team. Your treating doctor can advise on what is needed for your situation.

Where are ERCP and EUS done?
ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound, and other hospital-based procedures are performed at HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital in Okeechobee or at Wellington Regional Medical Center — whichever is closer to you. Dr. Tarugu holds active privileges at both hospitals. Colonoscopy and upper endoscopy are done in our Okeechobee outpatient endoscopy suite.

Do I need a referral?
Most insurance plans do not require a referral — we will check yours. We work with most major plans — call and we will verify yours before your visit.

What does a colonoscopy cost without insurance?
Self-pay colonoscopy starts at $600 at our Okeechobee office. Ask our office for the full self-pay details, and about our Scholarship/hardship program for qualifying patients.

Accepting new patients. Call (863) 824-3447 to schedule your visit — call for the earliest available appointment. Our office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. If you are in Fort Pierce and need a gastroenterologist — especially for a screening colonoscopy or an advanced procedure, one drive west can put an experienced endoscopist on your side.

Choosing a GI doctor? Read our guide to finding the best gastroenterologist in Florida →

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