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can now undergo colonoscopy at a regional endoscopy center or quickly get a GI consul- tation at multiple UH community hospitals and in most UH community health centers, saving time, money, and, potentially, lives." Certified, Comprehensive Services UH Case Medical Center's endoscopy suite was reportedly the first in Ohio recognized by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). Two additional facilities, the Endoscopy Center of Bainbridge, which is ASGE recognized, and the University Suburban Endoscopy Center in South Euclid are also accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and have been nation- ally recognized for quality by Becker's Review. In addition, the physicians and nurses who are part of the UH Community Gastroenterology & Quality Center team boast an average 20 years in gastroenterology training and experience. "In my community GI group, we all receive advanced airway training and utilize end tidal CO2 monitoring for our procedures," says Dr. Koehler. This, he points out, contributes to consistently low complication rates – lower than peer averages and superior to national benchmarks enhancing patient safety. "Our patients are pleased with the GI care they receive. Patient satisfaction surveys reveal that more than 90% of our patients rate their experience as 'good,'" he adds. For advanced procedures, liver disease management and colorectal surgery, the UH community GI team work closely with subspecialty physicians and surgeons at UH Digestive Health Institute and UH Seidman Cancer Center. Examples of conditions or services for which they commonly refer include Hepatitis B and C, cancer, com- plicated IBD/infusion therapy, advanced endoscopic procedures, imaging studies, and general and colorectal surgery. In addition to being at the forefront in digestive disease care, Dr. Koehler says UH is a leader in clinical and translational research in various GI diseases. He points out that stool DNA testing was developed in part at UH Case Medical Center and CWRU. "It's being offered here in a clinical trial as a noninvasive alternative to colonoscopy," he explained. "The gold standard for colon cancer screening, however, is still colonoscopy because of its ability to not only locate but also remove cancerous polyps." Cancer Screening and Prevention The importance of screening for colon cancer is emphasized by all of the gastroenter- ologists affiliated with UH Digestive Health Institute. And not just for patients with symp- toms, but also for asymptomatic patients. "Colon cancer is one of the few cancers that are both preventable and curable if caught early enough," says Sapna Thomas, MD, Medical Director of Gastroenterology at UH Westlake Health Center and Assistant Professor of Medicine, CWRU School of Medicine. She points out that patients with no risk factors are recommended for screening colonoscopy at age 50. Those who should be screened at an earlier age include the following. + Patients with a family history of colon cancer or polyps should begin screening at Dr. Sapna Thomas is Medical Director of Gastroenterology at UH Westlake Health Center and a member of the UH Community Gastroenterology & Quality Center team. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS CASE MEDICAL CENTER 2 0 1 4 M A R C H /A P R I L ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 1 5