• 2009 Top Diagnosed Diseases
• Colonoscopy
• Intestinal Diseases
• Motility Diseases
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD)
• Video Capsule Endoscopy
• Small Bowel Diseases
• Endoscopic Ultrasound
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Biliary and Pancreatic Disorders
• Liver Diseases
• Research and Education

2009 Experience and Outcomes Report

Delivering on our commitment to high quality gastrointestinal care

Gastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia is pleased to publish the 2nd edition of our Experience and Outcomes Report, which highlights the clinical performance of our practice along with our proven commitment to quality and service. We are dedicated to serving the community of northwest Georgia.

Our practice includes 21 board certified gastroenterologists, six nurse practitioners/physicians assistants and a dedicated support staff. We offer a rare combination of thirty years experience in gastroenterology and a commitment to using the newest technologies and procedures. At GI Specialists of Georgia, we're dedicated to the wellbeing and care of our patients.

We see patients at our nine locations in Acworth, Austell, Marietta, Douglasville, Hiram, Lithia Springs, Villa Rica and Woodstock, and our physicians are on staff at the region's top healthcare institutions, including Wellstar Cobb, Wellstar Kennestone, Wellstar Douglas and Wellstar Paulding hospitals. Each year, our physicians see approximately 30,000 additional patients in hospital consults and hospital follow-up visits.

Commitment to Quality

At GI Specialists of Georgia, patient satisfaction and procedural excellence are always our focus and we take pride in finding new and innovative ways of improving care while maintaining our leadership in gastroenterology. We evaluate our success by tracking several quality indicators that measure performance and outcomes and comparing them against national benchmarks. We also have on staff a patient advocate whose role is to immediately respond to any issue raised by our patients.

Patient Survey

As part of our commitment to continuous quality assurance, we have implemented patient surveys. At both our endoscopy centers  we ask patients to complete a survey which evaluates both the center and the office locations. It asks about wait times, staff courtesy, physician skill and thoroughness, and the educational knowledge of diagnosis and next procedural steps. We always strive to reach the highest level of satisfaction with our patients. The following tracks the results over the last three years.

Cutting Edge Endoscopic Technology

At GI Specialists of Georgia, we perform a wide range of complex procedures — ranging from colonoscopies to endoscopic ultrasounds — using the latest diagnostic technologies. One of our premiere technologies is high definition endoscopy combined with Narrow Band Imaging™, which uses blue light for better visualization of the intestine surface. Compared to conventional systems, Narrow Band Imaging™ provides physicians with sharper images and better contrast, helping them better observe lesions in the esophagus, stomach and colon. Not only does it provide more accurate diagnoses, but it can also shorten the procedure time for the patient.

2009 Top Diagnosed Diseases

In 2009, these top diagnoses accounted for 95% of all GI Specialists of Georgia patient diagnoses.

• 6,592 Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
• 3,705 Constipation
• 3,602 Gastritis
• 3,577 Abdominal Pain
• 3,310 GI Bleeding
• 3,210 Diverticular Disease
• 3,199 Benign Neoplasm LG Bowel
• 2,857 Diarrhea
• 2,772 Dysphagia
• 2,765 Screening Colon Neop-colon
• 2,416 Abn Findings GI Tract
• 2,325 Hx of Polyp
• 2,323 Nausea w/ Vomiting
• 2,026 Diaphragmatic Hernia, Hiatal
• 1,952 Functional Diarrhea
• 1,783 Elev Transaminase/LDH
• 1,751 Iron Deficiency Anemia
• 1,747 Change in Bowel Habits
• 1,638 Abdmnal Pain

Colonoscopy

The colonoscopy is the “Gold Standard” for colon cancer and polyp detection which allows a physician to exam the intestine by inserting a colonoscope into the rectum and gently advancing it through the large intestine. The intention is to identify inflamed tissue and neoplasms, as well as bleeding in the colon and rectum. It is primarily used to find and remove pre-cancerous polyps in order to reduce the risk of colon cancer.

The colonoscopy is the most common gastrointestinal procedure performed by GI Specialists of Georgia. Our physicians, who perform thousands of colonoscopies each year, are experienced in performing the procedure and understand the risks associated with it. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our patients, as well as the successful outcome of each procedure we perform.

Quality Outcome Measurements

We strive to meet all colonoscopy quality measurements as established by our professional societies: AGA, ASGE and ACG.

Cecal withdrawal time. This measurement indicates that a longer withdrawal time correlates to higher detection rate of neoplasms or polyps. Our withdrawal time is 6.6 minutes, compared to the national standard of 6.2 minutes.

Polyp detection rates. The most important aspect of the colonoscopy is to locate and remove precancerous polyps, thereby reducing the patient's risk of developing cancer. In 2009, our average polyp detection rate was 24% compared to the national standard of 23.5%.

Average completion rate. Colonoscopies are sometimes not completed due to poor preparations by the patient or technical limitations. In 2009 we achieved a 96.5% average completion rate, which is higher than the national average of 95%.

Open Access Screening

GI Specialists of Georgia offers open access screening colonoscopies, which allows healthy asymptomatic patients the option to schedule their procedure without a preliminary office visit. By increasing the number of patients who can receive colonoscopies, we are increasing the chances of early detection of precancerous polyps and colon cancer.

Intestinal Diseases

The following are some of the intestinal disorders we treat:

Irritable Bowel syndrome (IBS). A condition in which abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation contribute to changes in bowel function. Our physicians' treatment for patients with IBS includes the most advanced therapies to effectively deal with the symptoms.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). An inflammation of the mucosa and the wall of the colon and/or small bowel that includes disorders such as Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis. We are involved in clinical research, helping with the advancements of knowledge and treatments of IBD.

Crohn's Disease is an ongoing disorder that results in the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, commonly affecting the terminal ileum. Common side effects of Crohn's Disease are abdominal pain, diarrhea and bleeding.

Ulcerative Colitis. A chronic inflammation of the mucosa of the large intestine that can affect the rectum, a portion of the large intestine or the entire colon. Some of the most common symptoms are diarrhea, bleeding and abdominal pain. In rare cases, surgery can be necessary.

Motility Diseases

Many people suffer from gastrointestinal motility disorders, which can result in the patient having abdominal pain, fullness, bloating, nausea, vomiting as well as inability to feed. GI Specialists of Georgia physicians diagnose, treat and educate patients about motility disorders. One of the more common motility diseases we treat is gastroparesis.

EGD

An Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a procedure commonly performed on patients suffering from Dysphasia, odynophagia, upper GI bleeding, suspected ulcers or tumors.

Esophageal Diseases

GI Specialists of Georgia provides the most advanced treatment of esophageal disease through cutting edge diagnostic and treatment techniques: EUS, Photodynamic therapy and internal stenting. Some of these diseases include:

Reflux Esophagitis/GERD. A condition where stomach acid refluxes backwards up into the esophagus causing inflammation and damage to the esophagus.

Barrett's Esophagus. A serious condition that develops in some people who have chronic untreated GERD. This disease can cause abnormal changes in the cells that line the esophagus and increase risk for developing esophageal cancer. The risk of developing adenocarcinoma is 30 to 125 times higher in people who have Barrett's esophagus than in people who do not.

Video Capsule Endoscopy

Approved in 2001, Video Capsule Endoscopy is an important innovation in diagnostic endoscopy. The procedure involves a patient swallowing a high resolution pill camera that records a video of the small bowel and intestinal mucosa while moving through the gastrointestinal tract. GI Specialists of Georgia offers this latest technology to examine the small intestine, which is difficult to visualize through traditional endoscopic techniques. Patients with intestinal bleeding, tumors and Crohn's disease benefit from this technology. Our physicians are trained in reading these results in order to provide the best diagnosis and treatment for our patients.

Small Bowel Diseases

Celiac Sprue is a digestive disease that interferes with the absorption of gluten found in wheat, barley and rye. An accurate diagnosis allows our physicians and midlevels to best educate our patients with regard to specific diet plans and treatments.

Approximately 1 in 133 people have Celiac disease, however only about 3.5% of these have been diagnosed. This means that there are over 2.1 million undiagnosed people with Celiac disease in the United States.

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Endoscopic Ultrasound

The endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a state of the art technique used to aid in the evaluation and treatment of cancers and tumors of the digestive system. During the procedure, the physician inserts an endoscope through a patient's mouth or anus. A small ultrasound transducer in the endoscope produces sound waves that create a viewable image of surrounding tissue. This allows us to more effectively diagnose and stage rectal, esophageal, gastric and pancreatic cancers and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. In addition, EUS enables us to safely biopsy mediastinal lymph nodes, eliminating the need for surgery.

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ERCP

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may be useful in diagnosing and treating persistent abdominal pain caused by gallstones, Pancreatitis, pancreatic and ductal benign and malignant lesions.

Biliary and Pancreatic Disorders

Our physicians at GI Specialists of Georgia are active and highly effective in treating pancreatic and biliary disorders. We treat an exhaustive list, including cholelithiasis, choledocholitiasis, and cholangitis. Pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, biliary ductal cancer and pancreatic pseudo cysts. Back to top

Liver Diseases

Since the beginning of this practice, our physicians have been committed to the treatment of liver diseases. This chart displays our liver disease patient registry by year.

Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is the most common form of infectious hepatitis, affecting more than three million people in the United States. It can be spread through blood transfusions and contaminated needles.

GI Specialists of Georgia is working to eradicate the virus, eliminating long term complications and the need for liver transplants. Back to top

Research and Education

At GI Specialists of Georgia, we are committed to providing our patients with every resource available for the treatment of gastrointestinal and liver diseases as demonstrated by our focus on clinical research studies and continuing education.

Clinical Research Studies

Clinical research studies allow us to provide the most up to date medical treatment and education for our patients. We have on staff certified clinical research coordinators and a research team of physicians. All of our studies are performed under the guidelines of the FDA's Code of Federal Regulations and ICH Good Clinical Practice Standards, and recent studies include Hepatitis C, Crohn's and ulcerative colitis.

Continuing Education

Our staff is dedicated to ensuring we are on the cutting edge of the diagnosis, treatment and education of gastroenterology. Our physicians and nurse practitioners attend continuing education classes to stay abreast of new medications, treatments and procedures, and each month they participate in a monthly journal club and GI tumor board to critically evaluate new information in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.