New Center for Digestive Care to care for all aspects of digestive disease

Dec 4 2009

The Center for Digestive Care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has been established with a mission to provide high-quality patient care, research and education for all aspects of digestive disease. It offers innovative treatments and coordinated care for conditions ranging from gastrointestinal reflux and hepatitis C to colon cancer and metabolic surgery, a new field that focuses on reversing Type 2 diabetes.

The Center was made possible through gifts totaling $65 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center -- among the largest earmarked specifically for advancing treatment of digestive diseases. These gifts were announced at earlier dates.

"Close to 70 million Americans suffer from a digestive disorder, and as our population ages, the number of those affected will continue to rise," says Dr. Jeffrey Milsom, executive director of the Center. "Our Center is designed to address this need by offering the latest and most effective treatment options, as well as preventive strategies, available in a safe and supportive environment that emphasizes the needs of patients and their families."

Among the treatments offered are radiofrequency ablation to avoid surgery for patients suffering from Barrett's esophagus; minimally invasive surgery for morbid obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, colon cancer and metabolic disorders; advanced endoscopic techniques for diagnosing and treating GERD (gastrointestinal reflux disease); and novel therapies aimed at preventing esophageal, pancreatic and colon cancer using biomarkers and genetic testing.

Nurse Coordinators Streamline Patient Care

A central feature of the Center is an emphasis on coordinated care. Nurse coordinators guide patients from their initial diagnosis throughout their treatment and recovery and facilitate the referral process among the digestive care team. Patients may see any number of closely linked adult and pediatrics specialists -- including gastroenterologists, surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, nutritionists, pathologists, genetic counselors and social workers.

"Our coordinated care approach will improve and expedite patient care across the board and we hope our Center will serve as a model for other programs across the country," says Dr. Milsom, chief of Colorectal Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Jerome J. DeCosse, M.D., Professor of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Within the Center for Digestive Care are programs that integrate expertise and provide treatment for a wide range of digestive disorders, including:

* The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Inpatient Surgical Care Unit, designed specifically for patients recovering from gastrointestinal surgery.

* The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Surgical Suite will include futuristic information processing and data coordination that can be instantly accessed by the surgeon, along with advanced imaging equipment.

* The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Center for Colon and Rectal Surgery, a leading center in minimally invasive colorectal surgery.

* The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program dedicated to the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers as well as research and education.

* The Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), referring to two common chronic and debilitating diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

* A state-of-the-art Endoscopy Suite where physicians are pioneering novel diagnostic and treatment procedures.

http://www.med.cornell.edu/