In a wide-ranging Gut Check podcast hosted by Dr. Brian Lacy (Mayo Clinic), gastroenterologist Dr. Micheal Tadros (Albany Med Health System) dives into the expanding GI implications of GLP-1 receptor agonists—drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. Once used primarily for diabetes, these agents are now reshaping care for obesity, fatty liver disease, and more. Dr. Tadros discusses not only their proven weight loss benefits (up to 20%) but also the cascade of GI side effects—including nausea, delayed gastric emptying, and gallbladder complications—that now land these patients in endoscopy suites. He highlights a nuanced, individualized approach to pre-procedure guidance, balancing aspiration…
Author: Abhay Panchal
In a sharp, practical analysis for HealthLeaders, Eric Wicklund unpacks how AI is quietly reshaping healthcare from the inside out. In the June 11, 2025 piece, leaders from Saint Peter’s Healthcare System and OSF HealthCare reveal how AI is being deployed in real clinical environments—automating documentation, bridging SDOH care gaps, and flagging patients at risk through video monitoring and predictive analytics. Crucially, AI is proving most valuable when it doesn’t get in the way—surfacing insights at the point of care, freeing up clinician bandwidth, and improving workflows without disrupting them. The article also tackles the evolving idea of ROI: in…
Dr. Joseph Golyan, a 64-year-old gastroenterologist from Great Neck, NY, has been charged with grand larceny for allegedly defrauding the federal government by collecting over $100,000 in Social Security Disability and Early Retirement benefits—while actively working and billing more than $700,000 to Medicare. Despite claiming to be disabled and unable to work due to injuries from a car accident, Golyan continued practicing medicine under multiple entities using his own NPI. Prosecutors say he also misrepresented his financial status and failed to disclose his continued income. If convicted, Golyan faces up to 15 years in prison.
Guardant Health’s blood-based colorectal cancer screening test, Shield, has been named a winner of Fast Company’s 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards. Shield is the first FDA-approved blood test for primary CRC screening, offering a convenient alternative to colonoscopy and stool tests, which 1 in 3 eligible U.S. adults avoid. The test detects early-stage cancer with a simple blood draw during a routine visit, aiming to improve early detection and save lives. Shield has also been recognized by TIME and Popular Science, and was recently included in NCCN’s updated CRC screening guidelines.
In a recent American Journal of Gastroenterology study, Dr. Dipen Patel and colleagues revealed a troubling trend: Medicare payments to physicians for GI procedures like colonoscopy and EGD fell by over 22% (inflation-adjusted) between 2018 and 2023, while facility reimbursements rose or held steady—fueling fears of healthcare consolidation. With ASC and hospital outpatient department payments up nearly 20–30% (nominal), independent GI practices are feeling the squeeze. Policymakers and the AMA warn this disparity may be pushing physicians out of private practice and into health systems or corporate ownership. Proposed reforms aim to tie Medicare fee updates to inflation, but legislative…
A new peer-reviewed study published in Radiology shows that CT colonography (CTC) not only reduces colorectal cancer incidence more effectively than multitarget stool DNA (mt-sDNA) tests, but also saves costs. Simulating 10,000 individuals over 30 years, researchers found that CTC cut cancer incidence by 70–75% compared to 59% with mt-sDNA. It also proved cost-saving, while mt-sDNA, though effective, cost ~$9,000 per QALY gained. Researchers suggest a hybrid model: use CTC every three years for small polyps, and refer only larger ones for colonoscopy—balancing prevention with economics.
In a potential leap beyond traditional scopes, researchers at the OnePlanet Research Center have developed a swallowable sensor pill that could transform how we diagnose and manage gut health. The 2.1 cm x 0.75 cm device continuously measures temperature, pH, and—for the first time—gut redox balance, a critical but overlooked biomarker. Swallowed with water, the pill collects data every 20 seconds and operates for up to a week, depending on gut mobility. Clinical trials for IBD and colorectal cancer begin this month.
In a field where precision and endurance go hand in hand, Dr. Amandeep Shergill—professor of clinical medicine at UCSF—is quietly transforming how gastroenterologists perform one of their most physically taxing tasks: endoscopy. Her unlikely journey into ergonomics began with personal frustration during fellowship training, when traditional techniques didn’t fit her body. That disconnect sparked a groundbreaking career in endoscopy ergonomics. By partnering with leading ergonomist Dr. David Rempel and later co-founding the UC Berkeley Center for Ergonomic Endoscopy, Shergill helped uncover how poorly designed tools and procedural setups contribute to musculoskeletal disorders in GIs. Her solution? A simple but powerful…
Chicago-based 32 Biosciences, a precision gut microbiome medicine company, has secured $6 million in funding to accelerate development of its diagnostic platform and therapeutic pipeline. Led by CEO Peter Farmakis, the company leverages AI/machine learning to assess the functional health of the gut microbiome—aiming to diagnose, prevent, and treat chronic diseases by restoring microbiome balance.
MedCore Partners, in collaboration with GI Alliance, has opened a new state-of-the-art Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) and managed clinic in Bentonville, Arkansas, further extending access to advanced GI care in the region. Located at 3700 SE Dodson Rd, the facility opened to patients in February 2025 and features: