Too often, patients with bloating, abdominal pain, or persistent bowel issues wait years before reaching the right diagnosis. But new tools are shifting the front line of care. From advanced breath tests that uncover hidden bacterial overgrowth to evolving diet-based therapies, primary care physicians may no longer need to defer every case to specialists. Could this mean faster relief — and fewer years of misdiagnosis — for millions struggling with IBS-like symptoms?
Author: Abhay Panchal
The latest government shutdown isn’t just about politics — it’s about health coverage for millions. At stake are the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that kept premiums low during the pandemic. With those set to expire, some families could see monthly costs nearly double — unless Congress acts. The battle over whether to extend these subsidies has become the flashpoint in Washington’s funding standoff.
Fresh salary data from Marit Health, shows how gastroenterologist compensation shifts depending on employer type and payment model. Academic vs. non-academic roles, hospital vs. medical group employment, and salary vs. productivity-based pay all play a role in shaping earnings. While productivity contracts stand out, the full breakdown highlights just how much employer structure can tilt the numbers.
A new study highlights how TikTok has become a major source of GI health information—sometimes helpful, often misleading. Researchers found that while most colorectal cancer videos came from clinicians and stressed screening guidelines, the vast majority of IBS and IBD content was patient-generated, anecdotal, and frequently inaccurate. The study warns this imbalance may fuel self-treatment and delay proper care, but also shows how GI specialists can use these platforms to counter misinformation and educate at scale.
Gastroenterologists treat MASLD, GERD, gallstones, and even obesity-related cancers daily—yet too often stop short of addressing the root cause: obesity itself. In a new Medscape commentary, Dr. Alicia Muratore argues it’s time for GI specialists to move beyond symptom management and take the lead in obesity treatment. From endoscopic weight-loss procedures to integrating obesity medicine into fellowships, she outlines why GI is uniquely positioned to spearhead this care—and what practical steps practices can take now.
With demand for colonoscopy and IBD care climbing—and private equity accelerating practice acquisitions—gastroenterologists face a shifting medicolegal minefield. A new update in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology highlights how Stark Law, Anti-Kickback rules, ASC investments, and PE-driven structures can quietly threaten physician autonomy and expose practices to costly penalties. The message is clear: growth opportunities in ancillaries, ASCs, and PE deals are real, but only if contracts and compliance structures are airtight.
In a stunning first, German researchers report that a young woman with multidrug-resistant ulcerative colitis entered complete remission after receiving CD19 CAR T-cell therapy—a treatment once thought unsuitable for UC. Just weeks after infusion, her symptoms vanished, biomarkers normalized, and mucosal healing began. While the follow-up is short and evidence rests on a single case, the outcome raises a provocative question: could CAR T therapy, long reserved for B-cell cancers and select autoimmune diseases, rewrite the future of UC care?
The World Gastroenterology Organisation has introduced a new “Global Cascade Approach” to managing chronic constipation—one of the most common yet variable GI disorders worldwide. Rather than prescribing a rigid gold-standard, the guideline offers a tiered, resource-sensitive framework that adapts to diverse healthcare environments, from primary care to specialized GI practice. With prevalence rates affecting up to one in five people globally, this landmark update could reshape how clinicians diagnose and treat patients across different settings.
Albany Gastroenterology Consultants is notifying patients that a November 2024 cyberattack compromised sensitive data, including Social Security numbers—affecting almost 58,000 people. While no misuse has been confirmed, investigators verified files were accessed, prompting enhanced security steps and free identity protection services.
TIME, in partnership with Statista, has released its 2025 list of the world’s top health tech companies—spotlighting innovators transforming how care is delivered. AI & data analytics firms dominate the rankings, with companies like Qure AI pushing the frontiers of diagnostics, while prevention-focused players continue to lag. From selfie-based vital checks to voice-driven cognitive screening, the report reveals how digital health is reshaping diagnosis, treatment, and patient empowerment worldwide.