Gastroenterology (GI) is a leading field for AI innovation, assisting clinicians with dynamic endoscopic imaging and procedures. But what do patients think of this growing component of care? To answer that question, researchers led by gastroenterologist Vinay Jahagirdar, MD, of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, conducted a multicenter, survey-based study of patient perspectives in the US and Ontario, Canada’s most populous province.
Author: Abhay Panchal
Therapeutic innovation in gastroenterology has accelerated over the past decade, reshaping how clinicians evaluate treatment response, define success, and identify unmet needs across inflammatory and metabolic diseases. As the armamentarium expands, so too does the complexity of decision-making in both inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and broader digestive disorders. The question is no longer whether options exist, but how to deploy them effectively—and when to pivot. In the accompanying video, Benjamin McDonald, MD, PhD, a gastroenterologist specializing in inflammatory bowel diseases at UChicago Medicine, explains that early identification of suboptimal response remains grounded in careful clinical reassessment. In the absence of…
A new Northwestern Medicine study suggests that a structured simulation‑based training program can significantly improve how gastroenterologists remove precancerous colon polyps, according to findings published in Gastroenterology. Investigators found that after completing a simulation‑based mastery learning curriculum, gastroenterologists nearly doubled their rate of performing polypectomies — a core procedure for colorectal cancer prevention — at or above the minimum passing standard, rising from 37 percent before training to 74 percent afterward. The minimum passing standard was set at a very high level of skill.
In the latest edition of The Scope Forward Show, I’m joined by: Matt Schwartz, Founder & CEO of VirgoDr. Neil Parikh, Chief Innovation Officer, Connecticut GI and Chair of Innovation, GI Alliance AI is moving from theory to real infrastructure in healthcare. In this episode of the Scope Forward Show, we explored what happens when Big Tech, AI agents, robotics, genomics, and data platforms converge—and what it means for gastroenterology. The conversation ranged from Amazon’s new health AI agent to AI-assisted colonoscopy, humanoid robots, and even space-based data centers powering the next wave of AI. Watch the episode. Top Insights from the Interview:
AI in gastroenterology is evolving from standalone tools to real-time, cloud-connected intelligence embedded directly into procedures. Odin Vision, now part of Olympus, is building AI systems that integrate into live endoscopy workflows—analyzing video streams in real time and overlaying insights to help clinicians detect and characterize polyps during colonoscopy. The core value is immediate:👉 Addressing a known gap where a significant share of precancerous polyps are still missed during procedures But the bigger shift is architectural. Instead of on-site hardware, these systems run on cloud-based infrastructure, enabling: This transforms AI from a point solution into a connected layer across endoscopy…
AI is no longer experimental in healthcare—it’s becoming part of the daily workflow, with adoption now reaching a clear tipping point. According to Doximity’s report, 94% of physicians are using or interested in AI, and more than half are already using it in clinical practice. Notably, gastroenterology is among the top-adopting specialties, signaling how quickly AI is embedding into GI workflows. But the real story isn’t clinical disruption—it’s operational relief. Today, AI’s primary value lies in reducing administrative burden: This is where physicians are already seeing impact—less after-hours work, improved efficiency, and more time for patients. At the same time,…
Abbott’s acquisition of Exact Sciences isn’t just a portfolio expansion—it’s a strategic pivot toward owning the front end of disease detection. By bringing in Exact Sciences’ cancer screening capabilities (including non-invasive tests like Cologuard), Abbott is moving beyond traditional diagnostics into a model centered on early detection, longitudinal monitoring, and recurring patient engagement. This reflects a broader shift in healthcare economics:👉 The value is moving upstream—from diagnosing disease to identifying it earlier, at scale, and repeatedly. For Abbott, this creates a more integrated diagnostics stack—spanning lab tests, point-of-care tools, and now at-home cancer screening. But it also places the company…
GI surgery is undergoing a fundamental shift—from an art shaped by experience and intuition to a data-driven, digitally quantified discipline. Historically, surgical mastery relied on “gestalt”—the unspoken feel and judgment developed over years of training. But with the rise of AI, robotics, and real-time data layers, that intuition is now being broken down into measurable, teachable components. Technologies like AI-assisted endoscopy, augmented reality interfaces, and remote collaboration tools are doing more than improving detection—they’re decoding surgery itself:
A growing consensus is emerging among obesity experts: the healthcare system—not the therapy—is the biggest bottleneck in obesity care. As GLP-1 demand surges, traditional specialist-led models are breaking down under volume. Referral centers are overwhelmed, prior authorizations are consuming entire teams, and access remains uneven—revealing a system not designed for a disease affecting millions. The proposed shift is clear: move from siloed care to a distributed, multidisciplinary model where primary care, pharmacists, dietitians, and specialists share ownership—similar to how diabetes is managed today. But scaling care isn’t just about access. It’s about coordination: At the same time, a hard truth…
Gastroenterologists face rising clinical and operational obstacles as the GI diseases become more prevalent in the U.S. population and reimbursement rates fall for essential procedures. Here are five studies scaring GIs: 1. Gastrointestinal cancers are expected to double globally by 2050, according to a new multi-institutional study co-led by Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai, among others. According to the study, the biggest increases will be in pancreatic cancer diagnoses and colorectal cancer deaths. Ju Dong Yang, MD, a professor and medical director of Cedars-Sinai’s liver cancer program said that up to 70% of liver cancers are preventable. While hepatitis B and C…