MD Edge, Internal Medicine reports GI, liver, and pancreatic diseases cost the U.S. health care system about $120B per year and account for approximately 250,000 annual deaths, according to a “conservative” estimate from a recent analysis. These figures emphasize the need for more research funding in the area, along with additional clinical and public health … Continued

Anne Peery, MD, MSCR, associate professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is the corresponding author of a new article, “Burden and Cost of Gastrointestinal, Liver and Pancreatic Diseases in the United States: Update 2021,” published October 19 in Gastroenterology. The study concluded, “Gastrointestinal diseases are responsible for millions of health care encounters and … Continued

Edward L. Barnes, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology, recently received the 2021 Sherman Prizes and Sherman Emerging Leader Prize recognizing excellence in the field of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Watch the following video that celebrates his achievements. More information about the award can be found here.

The effectiveness of endoscopy procedures often depends as much on what happens before the patient comes in for the exam as it does on the skill of the provider. Inadequate preparation can lead to the canceling of procedures, rescheduling and repeating of tests. This not only costs money, it inconveniences the patient. Earlier this year, Shifali Arora, … Continued

Shifali Arora, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology was recently named vice-chief of clinical operations for the division. “We are fortunate Dr. Arora is willing to serve in this important role,” said Nick Shaheen, MD, chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology. “She ran our quality improvement program for … Continued

The below clickable headlines link directly to outside media outlets and feature UNC Department of Medicine faculty, starting Friday, November 4, 2021. What every parent should know about Halloween safety | Four 2 Five – Dr. Emily Sickbert-Bennett (MSN.com) Food Allergy Families Seek Out Hard-to-Find Immunotherapy – Dr. Edwin Kim (WebMD) Pandemic-related drinking causing spike in … Continued

Edward L. Barnes, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology, is a recipient of the 2021 Sherman Prizes and Sherman Emerging Leader Prize, recognizing excellence in the field of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, also known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). “When I started doing IBD research, it was the best … Continued

NC TraCS recently announced the recipients of new pilot grant awards, and five recipients are from the Department of Medicine. Following is a list of the recipients and their project titles. Andrea Azcarate-Peril, PhD (Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology) Project Title: Safety, Tolerability, and Biosignature of Humanized Prebiotics in Healthy Adults Joshua Niznik, … Continued

The UNC School of Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has named Yolanda Scarlett, MD, as the new Director for Underrepresented Trainee Access and Success. Scarlett is a proud alumnus of the UNC School of Medicine, as well as a graduate of the UNC Department of Internal Medicine Residency and Gastroenterology Fellowship. She is … Continued

For incarcerated individuals whose health depends on access to specialized health care, telemedicine can ensure more timely access, as well as a better experience. Early in the pandemic, UNC Health, the UNC School of Medicine, and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) partnered to develop the capabilities for providing telemedicine services to the … Continued

An increasing focus on high-value care and the implications around length of stay (LOS) has the potential to profoundly impact both patients and hospital systems. As hospitals face lower patient capacities and increasing costs, studies show an understanding of the factors that contribute to LOS can improve the management of LOS. Nick Shaheen, MD, MPH, … Continued

The latest Carolina Care Highlight features Jonathan Hansen, MD, PhD, associate professor in the division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Read what some of Dr. Hansen’s patients had to say about him: “Dr. Jonathan Hansen is by far one of the very best doctors I have ever had. He not only takes excellent care of me, … Continued