Why Choose Michigan for Your Digestive and Liver Care

Gastroenterology Specialty Programs and Clinics Provide Multidisciplinary Expertise for Patients

Cirrhosis Program
Crohn's and Colitis IBD Program
Esophageal Disorders Program
Functional Bowel Disorders Program
GI Behavioral Therapy Program
GI Nutrition Therapy Program
Hepatology Program
Liver Transplant Program
Medical Procedures Unit
Michigan Bowel Control Program
Motility Disorders
Pancreatic Biliary Program
Small Bowel Program
Viral Hepatitis Program
Wilson Disease Center of Excellence

Gastroenterology specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal system of the body, which includes the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, colon and rectum. Founded in 1947, the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology also has established a number of programs and clinics that provide specialized support for patients and their caregivers. These include:

Cirrhosis Program: Provides support for patients with cirrhosis. As a patient in the Cirrhosis Program, you receive education, a cirrhosis "toolkit" to take home and enrollment in a health maintenance software program that screens diseases related to cirrhosis. Read more about cirrhosis of the liver.

Crohn's and Ucerative Colitis (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) IBD Program: Offers outpatient consultation with nationally recognized experts in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis as well as access to an inpatient program staffed with IBD specialists. Our multidisciplinary team offers integrated IBD care to every patient by providing expertise in in gastroenterology, colorectal surgery, nutrition, radiology, infusion therapy, pathology and dermatology. Read more about IBD.

Esophageal Disorders Program: Provides comprehensive care for all aspects of diseases of the esophagus. In addition, we have over 40 years of experience evaluating and treating complex motor sensory disorders. Find out more about esophageal diseases we treat, including Barrett's esophagus, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).

Functional Bowel Disorders Program: Offers comprehensive multidisciplinary care for patients dealing with issues like complicated irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation. Our FBD specialists, in conjunction with Michigan Medicine supporting services, provide patients with surgical options, detailed physiologic testing, advanced radiologic techniques and access to behavioral medicine, physical therapy and nutritional counseling. Learn more about IBS or constipation.

GI Behavioral Therapy Program: For patients with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis (UC) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), everyday life brings many challenges. In addition to managing physical symptoms, the discomfort, uncertainty and inconvenience of living with a chronic GI condition can take an emotional toll, negatively impacting mental health and quality of life.  GI behavioral therapy (BT) includes a number of techniques designed to help patients deal with the uncontrollable and unpredictable aspects of GI conditions.

GI Nutrition Therapy Program  Achieving and maintaining good nutrition is a key component of managing the troubling symptoms of gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. A proper diet also helps support the body’s energy levels and immune system, and can help prevent micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition.  To help patients modify their dietary habits to achieve better nutrition and reduce GI symptoms, we rely on evidenced-based medical nutrition therapy and individualized counseling.  More on GI Nutrition Therapy

Hepatology Program: Provides state-of-the-art care for patients with the full spectrum of liver diseases: viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, fatty liver, alcoholic liver disease, drug induced liver disease, and metabolic liver disease. Our liver specialists along with our physician assistants, nurse practitioner, and nurses provide coordinated care for patients with all forms of acute or chronic liver diseases. The Hepatology Program encompasses four sub-specialty clinics where patients are referred as needed:

  • Viral Hepatitis Clinic
  • Cirrhosis Clinic
  • Liver Transplant Clinic
  • Liver Tumor Clinic

Read more about our Hepatology Clinics.

Liver Transplant Program: Offers comprehensive multidisciplinary care for patients with end stage liver disease and selected patients with liver cancer. The multidisciplinary liver transplant clinics are staffed by liver specialists, transplant surgeons, transplant social workers, and dietitians. Our liver specialists provide patients with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic services to manage complications of portal hypertension. Patients with liver cancer and cirrhosis are evaluated for liver transplantation as well as other treatment options. Learn more about Liver Transplant at the Michigan Transplant Center.

Medical Procedures Unit: Offers coordinated and comprehensive evaluation and treatment for patients with digestive disorders. We provide advanced GI diagnostic and therapeutic facilities that support a multidisciplinary physician team, including internal medicine gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal radiologists and surgeons. An additional component of the Medical Procedures Unit is the Gastrointestinal Physiology and Manometry Laboratory. The laboratory offers diagnostic studies to evaluate motor and other functional abnormalities of the entire gastrointestinal tract including the pancreas and hepatobiliary systems. Find out more about Michigan Medicine Medical Procedures Unit.

Michigan Bowel Control Program: The Michigan Bowel Control Program offers:

  • Diagnostic testing with coordinated appointments for patient convenience
  • Expertise in endoscopic procedures and specialized testing through the Medical Procedures Unit
  • University of Michigan surgeons with extensive experience in colorectal surgery
  • A comprehensive pelvic floor muscle strengthening program provided by physical therapists
  • New treatments and rapid reports to your primary care or referring physician

Motility Disorders: Provides services for the evaluation and treatment of patients with a variety of conditions, including constipation, diarrheal disorders, fecal incontinence, gastroparesis, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Pancreatic Biliary Program: Treats the entire spectrum of biliary tract and pancreatic disease. We use advanced imaging modalities and provide complete consultation for patients with pancreatic or biliary tract disease. Read about pancreatic diseases we treat including ampullary polyps, bile duct leaks, bile duct stones and pancreatitis.

Small Bowel Program: Specializes in disease of the small bowel, and promotes state of the art technologies used to diagnose and treat these conditions. The Small Bowel physicians coordinate with surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, geneticists, nurses, and other GI physicians with overlapping specialties, in order to provide comprehensive care for patients with small bowel disease. Michigan Medicine is the largest video capsule endoscopy (VCE) facility in Michigan and the only center performing deep enteroscopy procedures in the state. Learn more about small bowel conditions we treat, including polyps, tumors and malabsorptive diseases of the small bowel.

Viral Hepatitis Program: Provides state-of-the-art care for patients with viral hepatitis. Our team is made up of liver specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioner, nurses, medical assistants and clerical staff who are experienced in the evaluation and treatment of patients with viral hepatitis. In addition, they are knowledgeable about available compassionate use programs and familiar with the management of side effects of treatment. Our physicians have three decades of experience in hepatitis research and are world authorities in hepatitis B and C. Our patients have access to novel treatments such as interferon-free regimens for hepatitis C through clinical trials. Find out more about viral hepatitis.

Wilson Disease Center of Excellence: Serves as a source of focused expertise for people affected by Wilson Disease. In conjunction with referring physicians, the center can provide annual or more frequent follow-up, strive to maintain and increase compliance with chronic medication, increase patient education and communicate new advances. Learn more about Wilson disease.

In addition to their clinical excellence, Michigan Medicine gastroenterology and hepatology faculty also provide numerous educational programs to physicians and patients in Michigan and the surrounding areas.