Colorectal cancer (CRC) cases among adults under 50 are surging, with the sharpest rise in the 45–49 age group. The American Cancer Society reports CRC is now the leading cause of cancer death for men under 50 and the second for women. With screening guidelines lowered to age 45 in 2021, uptake is accelerating—forcing GI groups and ASCs to rethink operations. Key Takeaways 1. Demand surge aheadScreening among 45–49-year-olds jumped 62% from 2019–2023. Colonoscopy volumes rose 43%, while stool-based testing grew fivefold. 2. ASCs under pressureGI already accounts for 28.3% of Medicare ASC procedures. With millions of new patients, ASCs…
Author: Abhay Panchal
A large observational study from Poland suggests that routine use of AI for polyp detection may erode clinicians’ own diagnostic skills, raising concerns about patient outcomes. Published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, the research showed a 6% absolute drop in adenoma detection rates (ADR) when experienced endoscopists performed colonoscopies without AI after prolonged AI exposure. Key Takeaways Unexpected skill erosionEven highly experienced endoscopists (each with >2000 colonoscopies performed) showed reduced ADR after integrating AI. The effect was most pronounced in centers with higher baseline ADRs and in younger female patients. AI boosts, but also conditionsAI-assisted colonoscopies still showed higher…
Geneoscopy, Inc. announced that Exact Sciences has withdrawn its motion for a preliminary injunction tied to two patents (’781 and ’746). The move follows recent setbacks for Exact Sciences at the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), which invalidated all 20 challenged claims of the ’781 patent and initiated review of the ’746 patent. This decision allows Geneoscopy to continue commercializing ColoSense, its stool-based colorectal cancer screening test, without restriction. Key Takeaways Innovation over litigationGeneoscopy maintained from the start that ColoSense was built on original science, not infringement. CEO Andrew Barnell called the withdrawal a validation of the company’s…
Private equity activity in gastroenterology is slowing in frequency, even as deal sizes and consolidation momentum grow. This shift is reshaping the specialty and raising new challenges for independent GI groups and ASCs. Key Takeaways Deal volume is falling fastGI PE transactions plunged by 50% from 2022 to 2023 (26 to 13 deals). This mirrors a broader healthcare slowdown, where overall PE deals fell 16.2% in 2023. Bigger, more strategic dealsThe slowdown hasn’t stopped major players like GI Alliance, Gastro Health, and United Digestive from expanding. Their moves now focus on add-on acquisitions and recapitalizations, such as GI Alliance’s $785M…
Iterative Health and One GI® have announced a strategic partnership to make clinical research a core service in community-based gastroenterology. By combining One GI’s physician-led network of 34 clinics across six states with Iterative Health’s operational expertise, the collaboration aims to expand patient access to cutting-edge therapies without requiring them to leave their trusted providers. Key Takeaways Research as standard careThe partnership positions clinical trials not as a side activity but as a mainstay service across One GI’s practices—bringing innovation directly into community gastroenterology. Expanding patient accessWith 13 active research sites now integrated into Iterative Health’s global network, more patients…
The American Gastroenterological Association has teamed up with healthcare data analytics firm Latica to pioneer a real-world evidence (RWE) study in ulcerative colitis using AI and natural language processing (NLP). The study will leverage de-identified electronic health record data from major GI practice networks—Gastro Health (Miami) and Allied Digestive Health (New Jersey)—to explore how cutting-edge clinical guidelines play out in community care. Key Takeaways Living guidelines in action: Unlike static protocols, this study uses living clinical guidelines—constantly updated to reflect new therapies and evolving practice patterns. Tracking what matters: Researchers will measure treatment adoption, patient pathways, remission rates, hospitalizations, and…
A survey at Mass General Brigham and Emory Healthcare found that ambient documentation technology (ADT)—AI-driven tools that passively draft clinical notes—significantly eased documentation burden. At Mass General, burnout dropped from 51% to 30% within three months of adoption. At Emory, documentation-related well-being jumped from 2% to 32%. Clinicians noted more time with patients and improved “joy in practice,” though limitations included low survey response rates and mixed feedback on efficiency for certain visit types. While early results suggest ADT can reduce burnout and strengthen patient engagement, long-term sustainability and broader scalability remain open questions.
Healthcare’s future may be defined less by new tools and more by how wisely we use the data already at our fingertips. Rajan Kohli argues that while healthcare generates nearly 30% of the world’s data, most of it never informs patient care. The real challenge is utilization, not collection. He envisions a system built on “Healthcare Live”—real-time data exchange, adaptive workflows, and machine reasoning—that can move care beyond episodic visits to continuous, proactive intervention. Examples like Abbott’s Libre glucose monitors feeding data straight into medical records show how close this future is. But Kohli cautions against simply “digitizing old problems.”…
A new analysis presented at DDW 2025 shows just how much a gastroenterologist’s vs. a surgeon’s perspective can shape GERD treatment. The study compared three guideline sets: AGA (largely GI-authored evidence), ACG (almost entirely GI-driven), and a multi-society consensus (dominated by surgical literature with some GI input). The divide was striking: The result? Patients may be directed toward very different management pathways depending on whether they start with a GI or a surgeon.
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) is emerging as a compelling alternative to surgical bypass and enteral stenting. By deploying a lumen-apposing stent under ultrasound guidance, the technique mimics a surgical gastrojejunostomy—without the scalpel. A January 2025 Translational Gastroenterology and Hepatology review reports pooled success rates above 90%, with fewer complications than surgery and lower recurrence than stenting. Could EUS-GE soon redefine the standard of care for gastric outlet obstruction?