Hoag Opens Multidisciplinary Digestive Health Institute Clinic
"Trust your gut."
Digestive health impacts every aspect of our physical and emotional well-being – in fact, the two are closely linked. That’s why Hoag Digestive Health Institute has opened its new comprehensive clinic to provide a range of expertise, services and care that underscore digestion’s unique role in whole-person health.
From acid reflux, diverticulitis and gallstones to more complex conditions like Cohn’s and colitis, digestive dysfunction and advanced liver disease, the clinic’s world-class specialists, including expert physicians, registered dieticians, a licensed care counselor and dedicated nurse navigators, provide patients the latest diagnostic and treatment options in a state-of-the-art, healing environment.
The clinic is home to the Institute’s many programs, including the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, foregut (esophagus and stomach), midgut (pancreas, biliary and gallbladder), hindgut (colon and small bowel), liver, bariatrics surgery weight loss and motility.
“Few programs in the nation offer the comprehensive digestive health services offered in our new clinic,” said John C. Lipham, M.D., the program director of Foregut Cancer at Hoag, who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Because digestive health diseases are often chronic and multifaceted, they require a multidisciplinary team of experts who collaborate to provide a treatment plan tailored to each patient.
“Managing chronic and benign conditions first involves lifestyle and wellness approaches that leverage technology, best practices and noninvasive treatments,” said Caroline Hwang, M.D., a board-certified gastroenterologist and director of the Margolis Family IBD Program. “By housing all of a patient’s resources under one roof, we are best able to serve patients thoroughly and comprehensively.”
Nationally recognized for the compassionate, integrated care it provides, Hoag Digestive Health Institute recently recruited several renowned and innovative specialists to form a “dream team” of digestive health experts. Joining Drs. Lipham, Hwang, as well as Adrian Dobrowolsky M.D., director of Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Program and Tse-Ling Fong, M.D., director of Hoag’s Liver Program, to expand Hoag’s digestive health offerings are:
Elizabeth Raskin, M.D., colorectal and general surgeon, and surgical director for the Margolis Family IBD Program
Katherine (Katie) Blevins, M.D., Ph.D., minimally invasive surgeon with a focus in bariatric and advanced gastrointestinal surgery
Brian Lee, M.D., triple board-certified transplant hepatologist and gastroenterologist in the Liver Program
Catherine Ngo, M.D., board-certified gastroenterologist and director of the new Motility Program, which will be based out of Hoag Health Center Aliso Viejo
“Hoag’s approach to patient well-being is unparalleled both locally and nationally. We’re here to provide integrative care that improves not only digestive function, but whole-person health,” said Dr. Raskin. “At Hoag, we build a team around you.”
To learn more, visit hoag.org/digestive