The gastroenterology field is no stranger to innovation, from the advent of colonoscopy to new, effective treatments for hepatitis C, but what comes next? Two gastroenterologists share what they hope to be the next big step forward in their specialty.
Ask a Gastroenterologist is a weekly series of questions posed to GI physicians around the country on business and clinical issues affecting the field of gastroenterology. We invite all gastroenterologists to submit responses.
Next week's question: What has your most memorable moment as a GI physician been thus far?
Please submit responses to Carrie Pallardy at cpallardy@beckershealthcare.com by Thursday, July 9, at 5 p.m. CST.
Larry Good, MD, FACG, founder, CEO Good Pharmaceutical Development, CEO, Compassionate Care Center of New York: The next great innovation in gastroenterology, I hope, will be the emergence of new non-invasive and minimally invasive technologies for the diagnosis and management of chronic diseases.
We have seen the emergence of serum and stool biomarkers for inflammation, genetic testing from blood samples and buccal swabs and the emergence of capsule endoscopy. New scanning technologies and confocal endoscopic microscopy will bring the pathology lab into the endoscopy suite.
In treatment areas, natural orifice surgery will progress, our understanding of the contribution of the microbiome will improve, medical foods will herald safer treatments for chronic diseases and metabolic pathway studies will reduce drug toxicity.
There is much to look forward to.
Monte E. Troutman, DO (Fort Worth, Texas): I hope for real time calculation of percent mucosa viewed during colonoscopy.