Why We Are Called the Butt Hutt & What You Can Expect When You Get Here

June 29, 2024

Around Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute, we call ourselves the “Butt Hutt” without even thinking about it. Our specialty is colon and rectal surgery which starts -- or ends more accurately -- at the butt! While this nickname might be a little non-traditional, we think adding some humor to a serious cause such as colorectal cancer screening helps ease the anxiety surrounding the experience, but it must be balanced with professionalism. 

With years of experience, three amazing physicians, and a dedicated staff, we try our best to accomplish this everyday.

More About the Butt Hutt

If you’ve ever wondered where this nickname came from, here’s the story. Dr. Dan Coyle, the founding member of Alabama Colon and Rectal Institute, P.C. and some of the original nurses began calling our clinic the “Butt Hutt” not long after we opened the portion of the facility where we do our colonoscopies and surgery in 1996. It came about as much for our anorectal surgery such as hemorrhoidectomies as it did for our colonoscopies.

The late Dr. Coyle always mixed a sense of humor with the seriousness of his work. Originally, the “Butt Hutt” was intended to be a name used between our employees because it was much easier to say and shorter than our corporate name. Over the years though, it has been passed on to the hospital nurses, patients, and even the community.

In addition to a little comic relief, we offer the convenience of a doctor’s office, a few steps away from your parked car, while offering the safety and quality of an AAAASF (The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc.) certified surgery facility. Our clinic definitely benefits from our quality, safe, cost efficient, and streamlined process. Our location is in a centralized part of downtown Birmingham near Regions Field. 

What You Can Expect at The Butt Hutt

We perform over 3,000 procedures a year in our office clinic; about 70% colonoscopies and 30% anorectal surgery and other outpatient procedures. Many of our patients comment on the ease, both physically and psychologically, of their experience with the “Butt Hutt.”

We hope this is due in part to our high quality of care when it comes to all aspects of their encounter with us. All of our doctors have two board certifications, both in General Surgery and Colon & Rectal Surgery. Our nurses and staff are all certified in their respective fields, and our clinic is certified by the AAAASF, as mentioned above, which is the gold standard in accreditation of ambulatory surgery centers.

Benefits of AAAASF certification include:

• Holds outpatient and office-based facilities to hospital standards
• Requires surgeons to be board certified and have hospital privileges for any procedure they perform
• Requires the use of anesthesia professionals for deeper levels of anesthesia
• Requires a safe and clean surgical environment that meets stringent standards
• Requires peer review (peer oversight) and tracks data for thousands of individual cases
• Works closely with facilities and provide help throughout the accreditation process
• Champions patient safety worldwide and has for nearly 40 years

When you come to us for a colonoscopy, don’t forget to ask about a souvenir t-shirt. Years ago, some of our patients began asking for a “souvenir” after their right of passage (colonoscopy), and the nurses began designing and purchasing t-shirts patients can get after their procedures. On it is The Butt Hutt, our logo (outhouse), and a humorous phrase. Hopefully it will make you and others laugh but also realize that there’s nothing to fear about colonoscopies or other colon and rectal procedures!

Learn more about anorectal and colorectal disorders at Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute.

Alabama Colon & Rectal Institute specializes in treating diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus. We are  experts in performing colonoscopies, anorectal surgery, and minimally invasive colon surgery. Our three doctors are known regionally for their expertise in these areas. Visit our website for more information, give us a call to make an appointment at 205-458-5000, or email us at [email protected].