With 19 million more patients now eligible for colorectal cancer screening, the gastroenterology workforce is under mounting pressure—and private practices are at a breaking point. At DDW 2025, Dr. Asma Khapra warned that the percentage of fully independent GI practices has plunged from 30% to just 13% since 2019. As burnout, administrative burden, and staffing costs rise, private practices must rethink how they retain talent.
Khapra offered a compelling strategy centered on the “Iceberg Model of Culture,” urging leaders to focus not just on visible perks, but on invisible elements like trust, fairness, and physician autonomy. Without action, the future of independent GI care may hang in the balance.