As stool- and blood-based colorectal cancer screening gains traction, gastroenterology is entering a new phase—one where completion colonoscopies are becoming more frequent and more complex. Traditionally, screening colonoscopies have been evenly distributed across endoscopists, largely because the likelihood of encountering advanced neoplasms in average-risk patients has been low. For example, large adenomas (≥20 mm) appear in less than 1% of screening and surveillance procedures, allowing most endoscopists to manage cases within their comfort zone. That model is now being challenged. Positive noninvasive tests are more likely to funnel patients into colonoscopy with a higher pre-test probability of advanced lesions. As…
Author: Abhay Panchal
Gastro Health, a leading national medical group specializing in digestive and liver health, finalized a partnership with Digestive Disease Physicians. This marks Gastro Health’s eighth partnership in Virginia. Digestive Disease Physicians is a premier gastroenterology practice in Alexandria, VA, comprised of eight board-certified gastroenterologists and four advanced practice providers. In addition to its comprehensive clinical services, the practice features an on-site endoscopy center. Their dedicated team is committed to delivering individualized patient care using state-of-the-art medical equipment and advanced diagnostic techniques.
Despite advances in gastroenterology, one of the most basic elements of care—understanding bowel habits—remains surprisingly underdeveloped. Many patients, including highly educated individuals, are unable to describe what “normal” stool looks like or how their bowel patterns relate to health. This is not a niche issue. Nearly 40% of Americans report disruptions related to their bowel habits, and 15% live with IBS. Yet stigma, discomfort, and a lack of structured education prevent patients from discussing these issues openly or accurately with their physicians. The result is a fundamental mismatch: gastroenterology relies heavily on patient-reported symptoms, but patients are often unequipped to…
A report by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projected a shortage of up to 113,380 physicians by 2028. With an average annual income of $513,000 in 2024, gastroenterologists consistently rank among the top 5 highest-paid specialties. Gastroenterology is also one of the most in-demand specialties as measured by absolute demand, the number of physicians per number of job openings. Yet physician staffing in this specialty is not keeping pace. Here are some essential things to know about the gastroenterologist shortage.
One of the most fundamental inputs in gastroenterology—stool assessment—has long been built on subjective patient recall and crude categorization. That’s now starting to change. Dieta Health’s Stool Scan uses imaging AI to analyze stool in real time—capturing multiple variables like consistency, volume, color, and abnormalities—replacing the decades-old reliance on the Bristol Stool Chart and patient memory. The problem it solves is deeper than it seems: 👉 GI care, research, and even drug trials have relied on subjective, inconsistent data 👉 Clinical decisions are often based on patient interpretation—not objective measurement What AI introduces is a new layer: And the implications…
In the latest edition of The Scope Forward Show, I’m joined by:Dr. Aja McCutchen, gastroenterologist at United Digestive and Vice Chair of the AmericanGastroenterological Association Research Foundation. We begin with GI Mastermind, a leadership program for gastroenterologists thinking beyondday-to-day practice. Aja is a two-time participant. Since then, she has taken on national leadership roles and co-founded an AI-driven women’s digestive health company. She is a clear example of whathappens when these ideas are put into action. The conversation expands into a broader question: where is gastroenterology today, andwhere is it headed? It surfaces things many gastroenterologists sense, but rarely articulate out loud. Note: The American Gastroenterological Association…
Big Tech is no longer experimenting with healthcare—it’s competing to own the patient’s first interaction. Amazon, OpenAI, and Perplexity are rapidly launching AI-driven health platforms that sit before the clinic—handling symptoms, interpreting labs, guiding decisions, and even routing care. This isn’t one product category—it’s a stack war: And the behavior shift is already here: 👉 3 in 5 adults are using AI for health 👉 Most interactions happen outside clinic hours 👉 AI is becoming the default first touchpoint—not the doctor
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States, and projections suggest approximately 108,860 new cases of colon cancer and 49,990 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in 2026.1,2 The quality of bowel preparation is crucial for high performance during colonoscopy. Inadequate preparation can affect the adenoma detection rate and result in repeat colonoscopic evaluations, unnecessary costs, and suboptimal patient experiences, which can lead to future noncompliance with colon cancer screening.
Sedation in gastroenterology is undergoing a subtle but significant shift—from routine moderate sedation to increasing reliance on monitored anesthesia care (MAC). What appears on the surface as a convenience-driven trend—patient comfort and faster throughput—is actually rooted in changing patient physiology and behavior. Today’s GI patients are different: The result?👉 A growing subset of patients who are less responsive to traditional sedation protocols This has pushed GI to become the largest consumer of outpatient anesthesia services in the U.S., placing additional strain on an already constrained anesthesia workforce.
A new NYU Stern report adds weight to a growing concern: private equity’s role in healthcare is no longer just controversial—it’s becoming a regulatory flashpoint. After more than $1 trillion in PE-driven healthcare deals over the past decade, the findings point to systemic risks: The core issue isn’t just ownership—it’s misalignment. 👉 A financial model built on leverage, returns, and exit timelines is increasingly clashing with a sector defined by continuity, access, and patient outcomes High-profile bankruptcies (e.g., Steward, Prospect) highlight the downstream impact—especially in rural and underserved communities, where closures hit hardest. But the report stops short of calling…