Routine mental health screening in IBD clinics may significantly improve patient engagement with psychogastroenterology care, according to data presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026. In a University of Chicago study, a single IBD specialist who integrated PHQ-9 and GAD-7 screening into routine visits generated the highest number of psychogastroenterology referrals and significantly better follow-up rates compared with clinics without embedded screening. The findings reinforce the growing role of integrated, team-based care in IBD, where mental health support is increasingly viewed as a core component of disease management rather than a separate service.
Author: Abhay Panchal
An AI-based endoscopic scoring system developed by Johnson & Johnson may significantly improve efficiency in ulcerative colitis clinical trials by detecting treatment effects more sensitively than traditional scoring methods. Presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026, the ARGES-UC platform uses continuous AI-generated scoring from endoscopy videos rather than conventional category-based Mayo scores. In a phase 2b UC trial, the system demonstrated larger treatment effect sizes and reduced estimated trial sample size requirements by up to 47%, potentially enabling smaller, faster, and less costly studies. Researchers emphasized that the technology is currently aimed at improving clinical trial design rather than replacing standard…
Neptune Medical reported positive first-in-human results for its Triton Robotic Endoscopy system, with a 50-patient study showing no adverse events and 100% cecal intubation during colonoscopy procedures. The robotic platform is designed to improve scope control, stability, and ergonomics compared to traditional manual colonoscopy. Investigators also reported high adenoma and polyp detection rates, successful removal of all polyps under 2 cm, and significantly lower physical and mental workload for endoscopists. The company says the system aims to combine robotic navigation with future AI-assisted detection capabilities to support more consistent, high-quality colonoscopy regardless of operator experience.
Olympus has partnered with EndoRobotics to globally distribute robot-assisted technologies for advanced endoscopic procedures, with an initial focus on the U.S. market. The collaboration is aimed at expanding adoption of technically demanding procedures like endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), which are increasingly important for treating early-stage GI cancers and precancerous lesions. Olympus said the partnership aligns with its broader strategy to combine robotics, AI, and minimally invasive endoscopy to improve procedural precision, efficiency, and patient access to advanced GI therapies.
The updated 13-year NordICC data showed that colonoscopy screening reduced colorectal cancer incidence by about 30%, strengthening the benefit seen in the original 10-year analysis. However, the trial still did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in CRC mortality. Experts emphasized that the findings are heavily influenced by participation rates—only 42% of invited individuals actually underwent colonoscopy. The study reinforces that colonoscopy can be effective at reducing cancer incidence when completed, while also highlighting how improved modern cancer therapies may make mortality benefits harder to detect in screening trials.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents unique challenges for older adults, particularly those in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In this population, multiple comorbidities and fragmented care pathways exacerbate disease burden and contribute to poorer outcomes. Traditional models often fail to provide proactive monitoring to prevent symptom escalation, Emergency Department use, and declining quality of life. Technology-enabled care coordination offers a promising approach to address these gaps. SonarMD’s program includes monthly patient-reported check-ins, alert thresholds, coordinator outreach, escalation to GI-directed care (earlier appointments, medication optimization, labs), and lifestyle support. We hypothesize that improved outcomes are associated with earlier intervention triggered by remote…
ECU Health has become the first institution in North Carolina to perform colorectal surgeries using the da Vinci SP system. The new robotic platform allows surgeons to perform complex colorectal procedures through a single small incision rather than multiple entry points used in traditional minimally invasive surgery. According to ECU Health, the system provides improved visualization and access to difficult anatomical angles, potentially allowing more precise treatment while preserving healthy tissue. The technology will be used across a broad range of colorectal conditions, including colon and rectal cancer resections, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, colectomies, rectal prolapse repair, and select benign…
A conversation between Meredith Hirsh and Anna Sobkiv (J.P. Morgan) explores how private equity is rapidly shaping physician practices—driving growth, acquisitions, and succession planning. The discussion highlights why investor interest is accelerating, which specialties are attracting capital, and what these deals mean for ownership, autonomy, and long-term sustainability of independent medicine. The signal: Private equity is no longer optional—it’s becoming a defining force in how physician practices grow, transition, and remain viable.
A recent JAMA viewpoint reframes the AI debate in medicine: the real disruption isn’t that AI is becoming more human—it’s that medicine has become less human over time. Despite headlines suggesting AI is surpassing physicians in empathy, the reality is more uncomfortable. Clinicians haven’t been outperformed at the bedside—they’ve been pulled away from it. Over decades, administrative layers—documentation, billing, prior authorization, and EHR work—have gradually displaced physicians from direct patient care, leaving less time for the human elements of medicine. In some settings, physicians now spend nearly twice as much time on desk work as with patients.
A new report from the American Medical Association shows physician burnout is gradually declining, with gains in job satisfaction and retention. But the bigger shift is structural: burnout is becoming highly specialty-specific, not universal. Gastroenterology lands squarely in the middle of this spectrum—at ~43.5% burnout—below peak-stress fields like emergency medicine, but still firmly in the high operational burden tier alongside cardiology and general surgery. This positioning matters. GI isn’t in crisis, but it’s also far from insulated. The drivers remain consistent across specialties: EHR friction, staffing shortages, and administrative overload. In GI, these are amplified by a unique combination of…