Summit Medical Group

The doctors, nurses and staff of Gastrointestinal Associates, P.C. and The Endoscopy Center appreciate the confidence you have placed in us. You have chosen one of the most educated and experienced staff and one of the most technologically advanced facility's of its kind. Knowing that you undoubtedly have many questions about the nature and quality of the care we provide, we have prepared this Web site to answer as many of those questions as possible. Please take some time to review it, and if you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us. We want you to be completely satisfied that the medical care you receive Gastrointestinal Associates and The Endoscopy Center is of the highest quality. This part of the Web site provides a summary definition of gastroenterology and explains how our specialists are trained and what you can expect during your treatment at our office and The Endoscopy Center. A gastroenterologist is a medical specialist who is broadly trained in internal medicine and who thereafter has taken special training in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system ( esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine or colon, liver, pancreas and gallbladder ). All of the partners Gastrointestinal Associates are board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the subspecialty board of Gastroenterology. After completing college and four years of medical school, each of our doctors has had at least five additional years of training with the last 2 3 years focused on gastrointestinal diseases. We update our knowledge each year by engaging in specialized training and attending professional meetings as well as by independent reading. A complete gastrointestinal evaluation usually includes specialized studies in addition to a thorough interview and physical examination. X-rays ( barium studies of the digestive system ) are ordered and reviewed as indicated. Endoscopy may be suggested ( flexible lighted instrument to inspect the lining of the digestive tract ), and blood specimens may be required for analysis of body functions. For instructions on how to prepare for endoscopy click here If you were referred to our office by your family physician or internist, we will send a summary of our findings and recommendations to him/her upon the completion of your evaluation. Problems of a general medical nature should remain under the care of your personal physician. It is necessary for you to have a general medical doctor, as our group limits its diagnosis and treatment to diseases of the digestive system. Our physicians are on the staff of all the local hospitals: St. Mary's Medical Center, Fort Sanders Medical Center, Park West Hospital, and the Thompson Cancer Survival Center. We also provide GI consultative and endoscopic services at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.