Learn more about Gastroenterology Specialists
A gastroenterologist specializes in preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or digestive system. This includes the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas and gallbladder. A GI specialist focuses on the health needs of adults with digestive problems.
A gastroenterologist typically:
- Evaluates a patient’s medical history and educates the patient about digestive health and disease prevention
- Performs colonoscopies, endoscopies, and other imaging exams of the digestive tract
- Orders and interprets laboratory tests and GI function studies
- Prescribes medications
- Screens, treats and monitors GI cancers
- Diagnoses and treats digestive disorders including ulcers, reflux conditions, bowel diseases, motility problems, and liver disease
- Performs endoscopic procedures on the digestive system, such as biopsies, polyp removal, intestinal dilation, placement of drainage tubes, and tumor removal without surgery
A gastroenterologist may also be known by the following names: GI specialist, GI doctor, or stomach doctor.
There are 19621 specialists practicing Gastroenterology in the United States with an overall average rating of 3.9 stars. There are 3028 hospitals in the United States with affiliated Gastroenterology specialists, including NYU Langone Health Tisch Hospital, Northside Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.