Darryn Potosky, MD in Baltimore: A Gastroenterologist Accepting New Patients with No Colonoscopy Wait
Darryn Potosky, MD is a gastroenterologist in Baltimore offering colonoscopies, upper endoscopies, and management of reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, and functional GI disorders. He accepts new patients without the extended wait times that characterize many practices in the city, and he works with most major insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, BCBS, and United.
What Potosky's Practice Offers
Potosky performs diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures at an outpatient surgery center, including colonoscopies with conscious sedation, upper endoscopies, and flexible sigmoidoscopies. His office practice covers evaluation and ongoing management of GERD, Barrett's esophagus, peptic ulcer disease, celiac disease, IBS, chronic diarrhea, and constipation. He also manages patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in coordination with their primary care physicians and other specialists when needed.
The practice operates in a standard appointment-based model. Patients are not squeezed into same-day urgent slots; Potosky schedules routine consultations and procedures at predictable intervals, typically offering new-patient appointments within 2 to 4 weeks. This predictability matters in a Baltimore market where some major GI offices show 6 to 8-week waits for initial colonoscopies.
Services and Costs
The cost of a colonoscopy with anesthesia in Baltimore ranges from $1,200 to $2,200 out of pocket if uninsured; with insurance, you pay your copay and coinsurance percentage after deductible. Potosky's office will verify your coverage before the procedure and provide an estimate. Upper endoscopies cost similarly. Office consultations typically run $150 to $250 as a copay for insured patients; uninsured rates are set per visit and should be confirmed when scheduling.
Potosky does not offer pill capsule endoscopy in-office, so patients requiring that test for small-bowel imaging are referred to a facility equipped for it. He performs standard colonoscopy and upper endoscopy with biopsy, polypectomy, and hemostasis (stopping bleeding), which covers most elective screening and symptomatic workups.
How Potosky Compares to Other Baltimore Gastroenterologists
Baltimore's GI landscape includes several high-volume practices affiliated with Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland Medical System, alongside independent practitioners. Johns Hopkins Gastroenterology (multiple locations in and around Baltimore) operates as part of the Hopkins health system and typically carries longer wait times, 4 to 8 weeks for new colonoscopies, because Hopkins draws from a large referral region. University of Maryland Medical System gastroenterology offers similar system-integrated scheduling and comparable wait times. Both are appropriate if you have complex or high-risk conditions requiring access to hospital-level backup.
Potosky's private practice is best suited to patients seeking a shorter path to screening, evaluation, or simple management without needing system-level resources. If you have inflammatory bowel disease requiring infusion therapy (which only large systems provide in-office), or a history of difficult-to-reach anatomy or bleeding, the system practices become necessary. For routine colonoscopy, reflux management, or new-patient consultation, Potosky's 2 to 4-week availability is competitive in Baltimore and often faster than these larger centers.
Who Fits This Practice and Who Does Not
Potosky accepts patients ages 18 and up. He is a good match for adults seeking routine preventive colonoscopy, evaluation of symptoms like persistent heartburn or diarrhea, or follow-up for known Barrett's esophagus or polyps. He works well with primary care physicians who refer patients for procedural screening or specialist management.
Potosky is not suitable for patients under 18, those requiring continuous infusion therapy for severe IBD (which requires an integrated system practice), or patients with complex hepatic disease, esophageal varices, or prior bariatric surgery (which may demand referral to a major center for specialized endoscopy). Pediatric gastroenterology is not offered; children are referred to Johns Hopkins or University of Maryland pediatric specialists.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
Call the office to schedule a new-patient consultation. You will be asked for your insurance card, photo ID, and a list of current medications. Bring the names of any GI symptoms or previous GI procedures you have had. Potosky will take a history, perform an abdominal exam, and discuss whether colonoscopy or other testing is appropriate. If a procedure is needed, it is scheduled separately at the outpatient surgery center; you may not have the procedure on your consultation visit.
On the day of a colonoscopy, you will complete a bowel-prep regimen (typically a polyethylene glycol solution) the day before. Arrive early for check-in and anesthesia consent. A nurse will place an IV, and an anesthesia provider will administer conscious sedation. Potosky performs the procedure while you are sedated. You will wake in recovery, spend 30 to 60 minutes there, and may not drive yourself home; arrange a ride beforehand. You can return to a regular diet the same day, though some offices recommend a light diet for a few hours.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
Potosky's office operates Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a 1-hour lunch break around noon. Procedures are scheduled at a separate surgery center; hours there may differ. Parking is typically available in a lot adjacent to the office or at the surgery center. Always confirm parking details and exact hours when you call.
Insurance changes, so verify coverage before your visit. If you are uninsured or self-pay, ask about payment plans; many practices offer them.
Potosky's combination of short access times, straightforward endoscopic scope, and acceptance of most major insurance makes him a reliable option for Baltimore-area patients needing screening or workup without the administrative burden of system-level scheduling.
