A new AJMC review highlights major gaps in access to rheumatology, dermatology, and gastroenterology specialists for U.S. patients with immunological diseases. Barriers include rural residence, Medicaid coverage, low specialist density, and race/ethnicity. Limited GI data were found, but evidence across fields links poor access to worse outcomes—higher disease severity, more hospitalizations, and greater ED use. The authors recommend solutions across the “5 A’s” of access: affordability, availability, accessibility, accommodation, and acceptability.
Author: Abhay Panchal
Drs. Michael D. Kappelman and Scott B. Snapper were named Sherman Prize Honorees, and Dr. Oriana Damas received the Emerging Leader Prize. Their pioneering research has advanced IBD science, improved patient outcomes, and deepened understanding of Crohn’s and colitis. They will be formally recognized at the AIBD 2025 conference in Orlando this December, with tribute films premiering on ShermanPrize.org.
Researchers at the University of Geneva have catalogued gut bacteria at the subspecies level and, with machine learning, trained a stool-based test that detects 90% of colorectal cancers—almost on par with colonoscopy (94%) but cheaper, faster, and far less invasive. While still in clinical trials, this approach could reshape CRC screening by reserving colonoscopy for confirmation, not first-line detection. Beyond cancer, the method opens the door to diagnosing a range of diseases from a single stool sample.
A new five-year prior-authorization demo will roll out in 10 states, requiring ASCs to secure approval before performing select procedures often billed as cosmetic but coded as medically necessary. While CMS frames it as a safeguard against fraud and improper payments, ASC leaders warn of heavier bureaucracy, delayed care, and denied claims if documentation falters. For operators, this isn’t just compliance—it’s a stress test of their workflows, technology, and ability to adapt before similar requirements inevitably expand nationwide.
Researchers at the University of Macau have created soft magnetic robots modeled after the golden wheel spider. These bio-inspired machines roll and climb inside the gastrointestinal tract, guided externally by magnetic fields, to reach areas standard endoscopes struggle with. In early tests, they successfully delivered drugs to targeted sites in animal GI models—without damaging tissue. If proven safe in live studies, these tiny climbers could one day transform how GI cancers and other conditions are diagnosed and treated.
In a new ASGE blog, Paul Akerman, MD, FASGE, highlights how telehealth, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and AI are redefining practice models. Telehealth has evolved into a permanent “front door” for GI care, removing barriers for rural and busy patients while maintaining continuity. RPM promises proactive management of IBD, liver disease, and other chronic conditions by enabling earlier intervention. Meanwhile, AI is already reducing diagnostic variability in polyp detection, capsule endoscopy, and UC scoring—augmenting, not replacing, physician judgment.
Healthmine and Exact Sciences have announced a new partnership to boost colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates. The collaboration allows health plans to reward members who complete at-home Cologuard® tests, leveraging Healthmine’s behavioral science–driven engagement platform. Early results show screening completion improvements of up to 25% and broader care gap closure. With CMS and NCQA emphasizing preventive care, this initiative highlights how incentives and at-home diagnostics could accelerate early CRC detection and reduce costly interventions.
Medscape reports that oral GLP-1 drugs may reshape the obesity treatment landscape, but their true impact remains uncertain. With Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy under FDA review and Eli Lilly’s orforglipron showing promising Phase 3 results, experts see new possibilities for patient access, convenience, and cost competition. Yet injectables remain dominant, offering greater efficacy and weekly dosing that many patients prefer. The question lingers: will pills open doors for millions untreated today, or will they complement rather than replace injections?
PAVmed has announced a letter of intent with Duke University to license a new endoscopic imaging technology that combines angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI) with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Designed to detect and treat esophageal precancer (dysplasia) in real time, the technology could reduce reliance on traditional biopsies. Early studies led by Dr. Nicholas Shaheen and Dr. Adam Wax have shown high sensitivity and promising accuracy, with results from a pilot clinical trial submitted for publication.
The FDA has approved the Idylla CDx MSI test, a fully automated companion diagnostic for colorectal cancer that delivers results in under three hours. By detecting seven key biomarkers, the cartridge-based system identifies MSI-H status, guiding timely use of nivolumab alone or with ipilimumab. For clinicians, this could mean faster treatment decisions and less reliance on central labs. For health system leaders, it raises a bigger question: will same-day MSI testing reshape precision oncology workflows and accelerate access to immunotherapy in CRC?