Category: Gastroenterology and Hepatology
COVID-19 Drove Up Drinking, and Americans Are Dying Faster as a Result
Sasha Deutsch-link, MD, clinical outcomes/epidemiology fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, wrote a Newsweek op-ed on the rise of alcohol-associated liver disease during the COVID pandemic. [Read It Here]
UNC School of Medicine Physician Scientists Training Program Gives Awards to Cultivate the Careers of Upcoming Physician-Scientists
Medicine, like any other scientific field, cannot progress forward without the hard work of new, cutting-edge researchers. In the Department of Medicine, three physician scientist trainees are working to improve the lives of patients who have inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and food allergies. In light of their promising, hard work, all three have received support from the UN … Continued
Study Reveals Vaccination Response to Hepatitis A Outbreaks in the Veterans Healthcare Administration
Outbreaks of hepatitis A, a highly contagious viral infection involving the liver, have been on the rise since 2016. What initially began as outbreaks in a handful of states has since led to ongoing or recent hepatitis A outbreaks in 33 states across the country. Patients under the care of the Veterans Health Administration have been one of the hardest-hit groups. This is because … Continued
William E. Whitehead Discusses the Connection Between the Brain and the Digestive System
If you’ve ever felt your insides twist in knots before a big speech, you know the stomach listens carefully to the brain. In fact, the entire digestive system is closely tuned to a person’s emotions and state of mind, says William E. Whitehead, PhD, a professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and director of the Center for Functional GI and Motility … Continued
VCAG Update: Dr. Arora Discusses Progress of New Endoscopy Procedure Tools
Since July of last year, Shifali Arora, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and the vice chief of clinical operations in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, has been working on a VCAG (Value Care Action Group) project to improve the efficiency of inpatient endoscopy. To date, the project has yielded several valuable tools that are working to improve the colonoscop … Continued
Congratulations, Carolina Care Excellence Awardees!
Every year, UNC Hospitals conducts the Press Ganey Medical Practice survey to obtain input from patients. Patients are asked if they would refer their provider’s practice to friends and family in the survey. Over the last year, 154 providers within UNC Hospitals received the highest recommendation from more than 89 percent of their patients, putting them in the top quartile natio … Continued
Increase in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Mortality Accelerates During COVID-19 Pandemic
UNC’s Sasha Deutsch-Link, MD, a fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is lead author of a study indicating that alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) mortality increased from 2017-2020 and accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly all age groups. Andrew Moon, MD, MPH, is senior author. Sasha Deutsch-Link, MD A study published in the Clinical Gastroe … Continued
Achieving ‘Distant Presence’ During Virtual Visits
Today’s clinicians are challenged to remain fully attentive to and engaged with the patients they serve, whether seeing them in person or from a distance. Dr. Spencer Dorn, professor and vice chair for innovation in the department of medicine, recently published a perspective on achieving ‘distant presence’ during virtual visits. Read the article, published by STAT.
Dellon Discusses Dupixent (Dupilumab) Study
Evon S. Dellon, MD, MPH, professor in the department of medicine’s division of gastroenterology and hepatology, discussed the Phase 3 LIBERTY-EoE-TREET study for Dupixent (Dupilumab). The results were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s Annual Meeting. Read more.
Crockett Study Considers Value of Endoscopic Clipping After Resection in Large Serrated Polyps
Among patients with large serrated polyps, the risk for bleeding after endoscopic mucosal resection was low, with no significant benefit seen with resection clipping, according to a study. “[This] study suggests that endoscopic clipping is not necessary to prevent post-polypectomy bleeding after [endoscopic mucosal resection] of large serrated polyps,” Seth D. Crockett, MD, MPH, … Continued