Gastroenterology/Endoscopy Services

• Gastrointestinal Care from a Proven Team

From prevention to treatment, we offer superior gastrointestinal care

In 2007, we proudly received the Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award™ from HealthGrades®, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings organization. HealthGrades also ranked us among the top 10 hospitals in Illinois and the top 10% in the nation for gastrointestinal care. We use the latest procedures to diagnose and treat a variety of digestive health problems such as colon cancer, ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Plus, our attentive staff is always dedicated to your comfort. So when it comes to quality GI care, you can count on our proven team.

Board-Certified Experts

Our team of board-certified and fellowship-trained GI specialists are dedicated to the highest standards of professional practice. The team is also board-certified in Internal Medicine, which means they understand the importance of treating the whole person and working collaboratively with each patient’s primary care physician on a course of diagnosis and treatment.

Highly Individualized Treatment

Focused on the special needs of each patient, Saint Joseph Hospital’s GI team of physicians and highly trained staff provide the highest quality care, focusing on the early detection of problems and prompt treatment. To help patients understand and feel comfortable with a procedure or test, nurses contact patients beforehand to discuss the procedure with them and answer questions.

Common Digestive Disorders

Our digestive specialists treat a wide range of gastrointestinal problems, including:

• Abdominal pain
• Cancer
• Gallstones
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
• Heartburn
• Hemorrhoids
• Hepatitis
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Ulcer Disease

Diagnosis and Treatment

Whether the answer is a lifestyle change, medication or an endoscopic procedure, our team of experts work with each patient to determine the best course of treatment, which may include performing screening, diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Some of the most common procedures for diagnosing GI disorders include:

• Colonoscopy - Colonoscopy enables physicians to examine the entire lining of your colon for abnormalities. If the physician thinks an area needs further examination, he or she will obtain a biopsy of the colon lining to be analyzed. If a polyp is discovered during the colonoscopy, the physician will most likely remove it during the procedure.
  
  
• Endoscopic Ultrasonography - This procedure allows the physician to examine the stomach lining as well as the walls of a patient’s upper and lower gastrointestinal tract as well as other organs such as the pancreas, lymph nodes and liver. Using an endoscope with an ultrasound attachment, sound waves create visual, high-resolution images of the digestive tract.
  
  
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - This allows a physician to view, locate and treat blockages in the common bile duct and pancreatic duct. Using an endoscope and X-ray equipment, the physician is able to view internal anatomy on a video screen.
  
  
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopy - Sigmoidoscopy uses a lighted instrument to examine the rectum and lower colon. The examination can find precancerous and cancerous growths in these areas.
  
  
• Upper GI Endoscopy (EGD) - Upper endoscopy allows the physician to examine the lining of the upper part of your gastrointestinal tract using an endoscope. The procedure can assist in evaluating symptoms of persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or difficulty in swallowing. It is also effective in finding the cause of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract and can be used to treat many abnormalities.