As the healthcare industry increasingly explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), gastroenterology stands out as a specialty ripe for innovation.
Digestive health plays a central role in overall wellness and remains one of the most critical areas in modern medicine. According to a 2018 report in the journal “Gastroenterology,” gastrointestinal diseases account for millions of hospital visits each year and cost the U.S. healthcare system over $136 billion annually — more than heart disease, trauma, or mental health disorders. With the prevalence of conditions like colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity on the rise, our field is overdue for smarter, faster, and more connected solutions. Enter AI.
AI’s many roles in gastroenterology
No longer a distant concept, AI is a present-day tool that is dramatically changing how we deliver care in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. At United Digestive, we are committed to leading this transformation by integrating AI-driven technologies across our partner practices.
In the procedure room, the AI-powered GI Genius™ supports our physicians by helping identify precancerous polyps during colonoscopies. This tool serves as a second set of eyes, improving detection rates and saving lives by catching abnormalities earlier than ever before. This is critical, as early intervention of colorectal cancer yields a 91% five-year survival rate, according to the American Cancer Society.
Outside the procedure suite, ambient listening technology is already reducing the documentation burden for providers by capturing visit notes and translating different languages during televisits in real time. This not only improves efficiency but also allows clinicians to focus more on the human connection. In the future, this technology will also aid in documenting procedures, further enhancing efficiency in the endoscopy suite.
From an operational standpoint, AI is poised to dramatically improve scheduling and access. For example, predictive analytics can anticipate when patients are likely to miss appointments, allowing open slots to be automatically filled from a waiting list, boosting both provider productivity and patient access. Additionally, chatbots may soon handle common questions and requests, and we are exploring integrations within our Patient Service Center to streamline these interactions.
On the administrative side, AI is being utilized to summarize large clinical documents for concise provider review, extract key patient details like lab and test results, and could eventually automate the filing of external records into medical charts, saving countless hours for clinical and administrative staff. Within our eClinicalWorks system, we have deployed advanced tools that assist with prescription tracking, refill timing, and patient message response suggestions.
A complement, not a replacement
These are not future dreams; they are solutions we are actively building and using today.
Of course, it is important to note that AI is not a replacement for clinical judgment. Rather, it is a tool that enhances the expertise and empathy that define excellent medical care. As technology progresses, we must remain vigilant about implementation, data integrity, and privacy, ensuring these technologies serve the best interests of our patients.
The promise of AI in gastroenterology is enormous. It can help providers deliver more precise care, reduce burnout, and increase access to life-saving procedures. More importantly, it can help patients feel seen, heard, and cared for more efficiently and effectively than ever before.
At United Digestive, we are proud to be leading the charge. When we put innovation into practice, everyone benefits.
