Fernando Bermudez, MD, FACP, FACG. Dr. Bermudez is currently the medical director of the Eastside Endoscopy Center and a physician with G.I. Medicine Associates, both located in St. Clair Shores, Mich. He specializes in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the liver and pancreas with special interest in inflammatory bowel disease and motility disorders of the esophagus. A native of Bogota, Colombia, Dr. Bermudez received his medical degree from Javeriana University in Bogota and completed his training at St. John Hospital in Detroit. He completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at Michael Reese Medical Center in Chicago.
Dr. Bermudez is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association, the American Medical Association, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the American College of Executive Physicians. He is also a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Gastroenterology. Dr. Bermudez previously served as division head of the department of gastroenterology at St. John Hospital, medical director of the endoscopy unit and chairman of the endoscopy committee at St. John Hospital and medical director of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in Bogota. He was also a clinical assistant Professor at Wayne Stat University in Detroit.
Robert “Bruce” Cameron, MD, FACG. Dr. Cameron is the medical director of the Endoscopy Center at Bainbridge in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He is also a clinical professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He completed his internship in internal medicine and his residency in gastroenterology at the University Hospitals of Cleveland. His areas of special interest are colonic neoplasia, esophageal diseases, gastroenterology and general gastroenterology.
Dr. Cameron is a fellow of the ACG and served as chair of the Practice Management Committee. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Gastroenterology. In his spare time, Dr. Cameron enjoys golfing.
Stephen Deal, MD, FACG. Dr. Deal is a member of the Carolina Digestive Health Associates, which operates five endoscopy centers in the Charlotte, N.C., area. He specializes in gastroenterology with a subspecialty in pancreatic biliary tract diseases. He has served as a member of the ACG/ASGE Quality in Endoscopy Task Force and helped to write the new practice guidelines for quality in endoscopy. He also served as an advisor on the 2005 University of North Carolina Colonoscopy Study. Dr. Deal has been a member of the ACG National Affairs Committee and the ACG Practice Management Committee.
Dr. Deal is active in CME through the Practice Management Course and served as the co-course director in 2007 and 2008. He is a fellow of the ACG and the ACP. He is also a member of the ASGE. His interests include family time, the Christian faith and travel.
Thomas Deas, MD. Dr. Deas is the medical director of the Fort Worth Endoscopy Center and the Southwest Fort Worth Endoscopy Center, which were developed to provide a quality, safe and convenient endoscopic environment for its patients. He is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, La., while serving in the U.S. Air Force and completed residency in internal medicine and his fellowship in gastroenterology at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He is a fellow of the ACG and the ASGE. He has served in leadership positions with ASGE and North Texas Specialty Physicians. Dr. Deas is a frequent speaker at national meetings and has published articles on achieving efficient, high-quality gastroenterology practices and endoscopy centers. Dr. Deas enjoys teaching third grade Sunday school, travel and leisure time with his family.
James T. Frakes, MD, MS, FASGE, MACG, AGAF, FACP. Dr. Frakes is clinical professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford and is in private practice at Rockford Gastroenterology Associates. He is an expert in the fields of therapeutic pancreaticobiliary endoscopy, practice management and endoscopic ASCs. Dr. Frakes has authored more than 100 publications in distinguished scientific journals, edited four books and written 13 book chapters dealing with gastrointestinal endoscopy. He has presented approximately 300 invited lectures at national and international gastroenterology meetings and has directed 30 national or international courses.
In 2007, he received two major awards from organized gastroenterology; he was recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the ASGE for long-term contributions to the field and was designated a Master of the ACG for stature and achievement in clinical gastroenterology and teaching and contributions to the ACG. Dr. Frakes is a past president of the ASGE and has served on numerous ASGE committees and several committees of the American Gastroenterological Association and ACG and the World Gastroenterology Organization. He is a fellow of the ASGE, AGA and the ACP. In addition, he serves on the University of Illinois Foundation and the Athletic Board and is a past member of the board of directors of the University of Illinois Alumni Association.
Robert M. Gannan, MD, PhD. Dr. Gannan is a nationally recognized expert in endoscopic procedures and is a regular speaker at nationwide meetings of gastrointestinal physicians regarding practice and development trends. He received his medical degree from University of Rochester and completed his internship and residency at University of California, San Francisco. He is currently in private practice in Bellevue, Wash., and is the director of gastroenterology at Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Belleview. Dr. Gannan is a renowned expert in gastro-endoscopy and has written or presented more than 20 research publications and has participated in more than 50 research trials in his field.
Pedro “Joe” Greer, Jr., MD. Dr. Greer is the founding chairman of the Bayside Ambulatory Center which provides gastrointestinal and surgical care to approximately 20,000 patients each year. He is also chief of gastroenterology at Mercy Hospital in Miami. In additional to his practice, Dr. Greer is active in community service and serves as medical director for Mercy Mission Services.
Dr. Greer is a member of numerous professional organizations including the AGA, the Florida Gastroenterology Association, the ASGE and the AMA. He is a fellow of the ACP and the ACG.
J.A. Ziskind, president and CEO of Global Surgical Partners, says that there are few GI doctors who are more accomplished than Dr. Greer. “In addition to being a highly competent specialist, Dr. Greer’s activities and contributions to the community and society at large are, in one word, incredible,” Mr. Ziskind says.
Reed B. Hogan, MD. Dr. Hogan is a gastroenterologist at GI Associates and Endoscopy Center in Jackson, Miss. He is board certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine. Dr. Hogan is both an accomplished speaker and writer in the field of gastroenterology and has published numerous articles on the subject. He received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, completed his residency and internship in internal medicine at University of Mississippi Medical Center and completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at Baylor University Medical Center. Dr. Hogan is a member of the Mississippi State Medical Association, the AMA, the ASGE and the AGA.
David A. Johnson, MD, FACG, FACP. Dr. Johnson is professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va. His primary research interests are esophageal and colon disease. He has been involved extensively in committees of the national GI societies and is a past president of the ACG. He is co-editor of Reviews in Gastroenterologic Disorders and is section editor for the Medscape Gastroenterology Viewpoints series and Journal Watch Gastroenterology. He is co-editor of the ACP’s book Dyspepsia and editor of the 2005 Gastroenterology Clinics of North America issue “Obesity and the Gastroenterologist.”
Dr. Johnson worked to enact the historic first legislation to mandate colon cancer screening with colonoscopy as the preferred standard. He has served as a primary advisor for national Medicare GI issues on endoscopy (CMS advisory committee) and has co-chaired the national Gastroenterology Medicare advisors. He is a co-author of the US Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer guidelines for colon cancer screening and surveillance, the ACG colon cancer screening guidelines and the joint guidelines from the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer and the American College of Radiology on screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps.
Louis La Luna, MD. Dr. La Luna is medical director of the Berks Center for Digestive Health in Wyomissing, Pa. He also is the gastroenterology liaison for the Reading Hospital Cancer Committee. Dr. La Luna received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, N.J., and completed his residency and gastroenterology fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Dr. La Luna is a member of several professional organizations including the AMA, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, the Berks County Medical Society, the ACG, the ASGE, the Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology and the Central Pennsylvania Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He is also a board member for the Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology and is the editor of its journal, Rumblings.
James S. Leavitt, MD. Dr. Leavitt is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine Department of Gastroenterology and a physician at the Miami Endoscopy Center and the Gastroenterology Care Center in Miami. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the State University of New York Downstate Medical School. He completed his medical internship and residency and his gastroenterology fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Dr. Leavitt is board certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine. Dr. Leavitt was a member of the ACG’s practice management committee.
Klaus Mergener, MD. Dr. Mergener is a physician with Digestive Health Specialists, based in Tacoma, Wash., which oversees four endoscopy centers. He went to medical school in Frankfurt and Heidelberg, Germany, and completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology, including additional training in interventional endoscopy at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Dr. Mergener is board certified in gastroenterology and a fellow of the ACP and the ACG. He is a member of the ASGE and serves as a representative to the AMA. Dr. Mergener enjoys spending time with his family, and his hobbies include classical music, hiking and reading.
Steven J. Morris, MD, JD, FACP. Dr. Morris is CEO and co-founder of Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, a 47-physician GI group based in the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan area. Last year, more than 40,000 cases were performed in the group’s seven endoscopy centers, and an eighth is scheduled to open in 2009. Dr. Morris is also chairperson of the National Coalition for Quality Colorectal Cancer Screening and Care.
Dr. Morris is a member of many professional organizations including the ACP, the AMA, the AGA, the Medical Association of Atlanta, the Medical Association of Georgia and the Georgia Gastrointestinal Society. Dr. Morris is also co-founder of Galen Advisors, a medical consulting firm, and a clinical associate professor at the Emory University School of Medicine.
Henry “Hank” Nance, Jr., DO, PA. Dr. Nance is a physician with Cleburne (Texas) Surgical Center and is certified by the Board of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. After earning his medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, Mo., he performed his internship and residency at Dallas-Fort Worth Medical Center in Grand Prairie, Texas. He was chief of surgery at Walls Regional Hospital in Cleburne, Texas, from 2000-2002. He was president of the Johnson County Medical Society from 1999-2000.
James McGehee, administrator of the Cleburne Surgical Center, says, “Dr. Nance is not only thorough in his clinical practice, he is exceptionally patient- care driven. He is kind and gentle with the patients and demands the best of care for them.”
Dr. Nance is a member of the Texas Medical Association, American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and the American Osteopathic Association. Outside of his practice, Dr. Nance is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying his hobbies of hunting and fishing.
Bergein Overholt, MD, FACP, MACG. Dr. Overholt is a physician with Gastrointestinal Associates in Knoxville, Tenn. He served in the Cancer Control Program of the U.S. Public Health Service and developed the flexible fibersigmoidscope-colonscope, which earned him the Schindler Award from the ASGE and the William Beaumont Award from the AMA. He has published numerous articles, written several chapters for books and recently co-edited the book Office Endoscopy.
Dr. Overholt has served as president of the ASGE and the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and is a founding member and past president of the Tennessee Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He was the chief of staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center from 1981-1983. Dr. Overholt serves as the medical director of the laser department of the Thompson Cancer Survival Center. Dr. Overholt received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Medical School and completed his internship, residency and fellowship in gastroenterology at the University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich. In addition to practicing medicine, his interests include professional writing, farming, beekeeping, the outdoors and his six grandchildren.
Irving Pike, MD, FACP, FASGE. Dr. Pike is president of Gastroenterology Consultants in Virginia Beach, Va. His special interests are endoscopic management of biliary and pancreatic disease, inflammatory bowel disease and the prevention of colon cancer. Currently, he is working collaboratively with other members of the ACG and the ASGE to develop measures of quality for gastroenterology practice and implement tools to benchmark performance based on these measures. He is a member of the ACG Board of Trustees and the current co-chair of the ASGE Ambulatory Endoscopy Center Special Interest Group. On behalf of these two societies, he serves as chair of the National GI Endoscopy Quality Indicator Benchmarking project.
From 1994-2005, he served as an executive council member, a physician member of Re-inventing Sentara and was the medical director for continuing education and business education for physicians for Sentara Healthcare as well as vice president of medical affairs for Sentara Bayside Hospital. He is a member of the American College of Physician Executives, the AGA, the ASGE, the Medical Society of Virginia and the Virginia Beach Medical Society.
Dr. Pike’s non-professional interests include photography, hiking, fishing and travel with family and friends.
Douglas Rex, MD. Dr. Rex is the chancellor’s professor of gastroenterology and professor of medicine at Indiana University. He is also director of endoscopy at the Indiana University Hospital in Indianapolis. His research areas of interest have been colorectal disease and, in particular, colorectal cancer screening and the technical performance of colonoscopy. He co-authored the colorectal cancer screening recommendations of the ACG and those of the Gastroenterology Consortium. He has authored more than 110 original research papers, 50 book chapters, 100 invited papers and editorials and 15 guideline papers. He is an associate editor of Journal Watch Gastroenterology and Reviews on Gastroenterological Disorders, and is a member of the editorial boards of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, World Journal of Gastroenterology and Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He was the chairman of the U.S. Multi-Society (ACG, ASGE, AGA, ACP-ASIM) Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. He was chairman of the board of governors, secretary and treasurer of the ACG and is a past president.
Robert Sable, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF. Dr. Sable is a physician with Riverdale Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases in Bronx, N.Y., and specializes in gastroenterology. He is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. From 2007-2008, he served as lead medical director at the Advanced Endoscopy Center in Bronx, N.Y., where he is currently the information technology liaison with ProVation Medical. He is also an attending physician at Montefiore Medical Center and St. Barnabas Hospital, both also located in Bronx, N.Y., and is a physician advisor for the Documentation Improvement Project at Montefiore Medical Center. He is a member of the committee working on the National Benchmarking Project for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Sable is a member of the AMA, the AGA, the ASGE, the New York Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the Medical Society of the State of New York and the Bronx Count Medical Society. He is also a fellow of the ACG and the ACP.
Dr. Sable enjoys teaching, reading, swimming, stamp and coin collecting and sports. He is an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the New York Jets.
Robert S. Sandler, MD, MPH. Dr. Sandler is currently the president of the AGA. He is also the Nina C. and John T. Sessions distinguished professor of medicine and chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is also the longstanding director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, an NIHfunded Digestive Disease Research Core Center that is based at UNC and North Carolina State University.
Dr. Sandler is a nationally known scholar and lecturer and has given hundreds of talks on a variety of gastroenterology-related topics. He has published numerous articles in nationally circulated journals, and served as an associate editor of the journal Gastroenterology and on the editorial boards of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and the International Journal of Gastroenterology.
Dr. Sandler credits his successes to his former division chief Don Powell, MD, and his wife, Dale Sandler, PhD. He places value on efficiency, fiscal responsibility, exceeding expectations, innovation, hard work and planning.
Harry Sarles, Jr., MD. Dr. Sarles is a gastroenterologist with the Digestive Health Associates of Texas, located in Garland, Texas. His areas of clinical interest include colon cancer screening, pancreato-biliary problems of the GI tract, gastrointestinal bleeding problems and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Dr. Sarles currently serves numerous roles in many professional societies and is chairman of the finance committee for the Digestive Health Associates of Texas and the chairman of the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Texas Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy. In addition, he is the governor of the North Texas Region of the ACG and also is a member of the College’s National Affairs Committee and on the board of trustees.
Dr. Sarles is a member of several professional societies including the AMA, the AGA, the ASGE and the Texas Society for Gastroenterology and Endoscopy. He is a fellow of the ACG. Dr. Sarles completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and his gastroenterology fellowship at the VA Hospital in Phoenix through the University of Arizona.
Leonard Stein, MD, FACP, FACG. Dr. Stein is the medical director at the Long Island Center for Digestive Health, an ambulatory endoscopy center Garden City, N.Y. The facility, opened in 2006, is AAAHC-accredited and performs approximately 6,000 procedures per year. Its endoscopists are physician members of Gastroenterology Associates, PC, a single-specialty group also located in Garden City.
Dr. Stein completed a gastroenterology fellowship at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. He has been an active participant in the internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship programs at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., and has been honored with the “Outstanding Attending of the Year” award. He is a diplomate of the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and a fellow of the ACP and the ACG. He also serves as a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Lewis Strong, MD. Dr. Strong is the president of the Skyline Endoscopy Center in Loveland, Colo., and has contributed to the success of the facility. He earned his medical degree and completed his internship, residency and fellowship at Case Western Reserve University. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the AGA. He has been an active member of the Loveland, Colo., medical community since the early 1990s. Dr. Strong was a founding member of the local physician’s health organization and served as its president for four years. He later served as president of the expanded, regional PHO for one year. Dr. Strong has served on numerous committees at McKee Medical Center and currently is a member of the hospital’s credentialing committee.
Catherine Sayers, director of clinical operations for Pinnacle III, says, “Dr. Strong and his family are an integral part of the Loveland community, and he is well respected for his contributions throughout Northern Colorado.”
James J. Weber, MD. Dr. Weber is president of Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, which has 17 offices around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, and he completed his residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital and his gastroenterology fellowship at Baylor University, both located in Dallas. He specializes in colorectal cancer prevention and irritable bowel disease.
Dr. Weber is an active member of several professional societies including the AGA, the ACG, the ASGE, the Texas Medical Association and the Tarrent Count Medical Association. When not in the office, he enjoys spending time with his family at