Some hospitals and clinics have begun to utilize a technique used in colon hydrotherapy as an alternative to the standard preparation methods described above. In this case, special equipment is used to gently flush the patient's colon with warm water, just prior to the colonoscopy procedure, in order to remove any bowel contents. This alleviates the patient from having to ingest large quantities of fluids, or risk nausea, vomiting, or anal irritation. The time required for preparation overall is significantly reduced, which often facilitates easier scheduling of the procedure.