Their experts and survey-participants assessed quality of care, performance data and peer recommendations relative to in-state competition. They also took into account how well facilities were responding to the threat of COVID-19.

Digestive Healthcare of Georgia (DHG) offers a full range of gastroenterology services, including consultations and procedures, and offers the newest treatments available while providing highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and advanced care. With 19 physicians in seven locations, Digestive Healthcare of Georgia’s quality of care is reflected in its high patient satisfaction rates and in the clinical research that it is trusted to conduct. Digestive Healthcare of Georgia has endoscopy centers in Atlanta, Jasper and Fayetteville, all three of which exceed the national benchmark standards in adenoma detection rates and cecal intubation rates.

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Each July, Atlanta magazine uses a database compiled by the established healthcare research firm Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. to assist in selections for its annual Top Doctors issue. Doctors are nominated for consideration through both a nationwide survey and a peer nomination process open to licensed physicians in Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry and Rockdale counties. Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers then select the Top Doctors through a rigorous screening process that includes an evaluation of educational and professional experience.

Digestive Healthcare of Georgia (DHG) offers a full range of gastroenterology services, including consultations and procedures, and offers the newest treatments available while providing highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and advanced care. With 19 physicians in seven locations, Digestive Healthcare of Georgia’s quality of care is reflected in its high patient satisfaction rates and in the clinical research that it is trusted to conduct. Digestive Healthcare of Georgia has endoscopy centers in Atlanta, Jasper and Fayetteville, all three of which exceed the national benchmark standards in adenoma detection rates and cecal intubation rates.

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For its annual Top Doctors issue, published each July, Atlanta magazine uses a database compiled by the established healthcare research firm Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. to assist in its efforts. This year, the publication honored 781 physicians. Doctors are nominated for consideration through both a nationwide survey and a peer nomination process open to licensed physicians in Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry and Rockdale counties. Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers then select the Top Doctors through a rigorous screening process that includes an evaluation of educational and professional experience.

 Digestive Healthcare of Georgia (DHG) offers a full range of gastroenterology services, including consultations and procedures, and offers the newest treatments available while providing highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and advanced care. With 19 physicians in seven locations, Digestive Healthcare of Georgia’s quality of care is reflected in its high patient satisfaction rates and in the clinical research that it is trusted to conduct. Digestive Healthcare of Georgia has endoscopy centers in Atlanta, Jasper and Fayetteville, all three of which exceed the national benchmark standards in adenoma detection rates and cecal intubation rates.

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Jana Bailey, NP-C won first place overall!

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Dr. Valerie Jagiella, a Chicago native, studied at University of Montpellier Medical School in Montpellier, France. Her special interests in gastroenterology include inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. Dr. Alexis Calloway is from Atlanta, Georgia and is the newest doctor to the practice. She studied at the Morehouse School of Medicine and her interests include colon cancer screening, infectious gastrointestinal diseases, and inflammatory bowel disease. These two doctors discussed the digestive system and the conditions that cause bloating in the abdomen with Dr. Bruce Feinberg.

When asked what exactly bloating means to a gastroenterologist, Dr. Jagiella defined it as a functional gastrointestinal (GI) tract issue that causes discomfort and interferes with someone’s overall sense of wellness and quality of life. Bloating can come in several different forms, including gas that passes too often or gas that won’t pass at all.

The doctors explained that the majority of patients with bloating issues are older due to the fact that as someone ages, their digestive system and bowel movements move up in priority when it comes to achieving an overall sense of wellbeing. While bloating does impact both men and women, Dr. Jagiella noted that most of her patients are women since they are more predisposed to seek a healthcare provider about digestive issues compared to men. The majority of men won’t come in to talk with a gastroenterologist unless it has a significant impact on their daily lives, they said.

Dr. Calloway wanted to let listeners to know that it doesn’t matter if you are male or female; everyone goes. When asked what the optimal stool schedule should be, Dr. Calloway referenced the Bristol stool chart and how it should be used as a guideline for what is considered normal when it comes to using the restroom. A normal schedule can range from one to three times per day all the way up to once every three days. As long that there isn’t a change in a patient’s normal schedule or how the stool passes (including straining and/or blood in the stool), the doctors coincided that everyone’s normal schedule will vary. A person’s lifestyle will always influence their schedule, including diet and exercise.

The doctors discussed one of the main causes of bowel discomfort, including gluten sensitivity and lactose intolerance. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, or barley, which are main ingredients in items throughout grocery stores. The sensitivity to gluten can be separated into three categories, including those with a wheat allergy, those suffering from celiac disease, and those who do not have celiac disease but are gluten sensitive. There are different tests to determine which category a patient may fall under when it comes to gluten intolerance, and Dr. Jagiella and Dr. Calloway urged listeners to come see them if they think they might have issues surrounding gluten. If patients have sensitivity to gluten, Dr. Jagiella pointed out that they should never assume store-bought food is gluten-free as it must be specifically labeled “gluten-free” to be safe for their diet.

When it comes to lactose intolerance, Dr. Calloway explained that about two-thirds of adult Americans are lactose intolerant and that as people age, the brush border in the intestines starts to deteriorate. This causes the loss in the ability to absorb lactose. This inability causes many digestive issues and discomfort. Both doctors suggested milk alternatives such as Lactaid or almond milk as a replacement to cow’s milk.

Two other conditions also cause bowel discomfort, including inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Dr. Calloway clarified the difference between the two with inflammatory bowel disease being a serious chronic disease caused by an auto inflammatory response in the bowels. Symptoms of this kind of disease include abdominal pain, bloody stool, weight loss, oral ulcers, and joint pain. Crohn’s disease is a prime example of an inflammatory bowel disease. For all other conditions that do not fall into any of the discussed diseases or other main digestive issues, Dr. Jagiella pointed out that gastroenterologists normally categorize these issues as IBS. Some people and families are more predisposed to experience constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or general discomfort when they digest food, thus causing IBS.

Listeners in the Atlanta-area called in with questions for Dr. Jagiella and Dr. Calloway. One caller, Mark, was curious about bacteria in the stomach and the causes of inflammation in that area of the body. Dr. Calloway answered Mark’s question by explaining that inflammation is caused by an imbalance of good and bacteria in the digestive tract. Genetics can play a big role in this balance as well as the environment. Another caller, Charles, talked about being a caregiver of his elderly father and wanted to know more about diabetes and digestive issues in elderly people. Dr. Calloway informed Charles his father’s digestive issues might be caused by small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). She recommended that Charles should take his father to get a breath test to confirm if his father may be suffering from SIBO. Dr. Calloway informed Charles that Digestive Healthcare of Georgia could perform the test for him. In the meantime, she suggested that Charles’ father try different types of probiotics to see if that would ease his digestive issues.

Dr. Jagiella and Dr. Calloway encouraged listeners to go online and explore the Digestive Healthcare of Georgia website, which has information about all of the digestive conditions discussed during the interview. Digestive Healthcare of Georgia also urges people over the age of 50 to schedule a colonoscopy as those at or above this age are at an increased risk for colon cancer. The doctors also told listeners that they welcome new patients at the Digestive Healthcare of Georgia Atlanta location, located at 95 Collier Road, NW Atlanta GA, 30309. Digestive Healthcare of Georgia also has offices in Canton, Jasper, Newnan, Fayetteville, and Ellijay. New patients can visit the website at digestivehealthcare.net or call at 404-355-3200.

To listen to Dr. Jagiella and Dr. Calloway’s appearance, click here: http://www.weeklycheckup.com/blog/2016/91816-dr-valerie-jagiella-and-dr-alexis-calloway-of-digestive-healthcare-of-georgia/

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Dr. Khandelwal, who practices out of DHG’s Fayetteville and Newnan locations, diagnosed a patient with a very critical case of pancreatic cancer and was instrumental in ensuring that the patient was able to undergo surgery just one week following the original diagnosis — a role that has greatly enhanced the patient’s chances of surviving long-term.

The patient was referred to Dr. Khandelwal from his primary care physician after experiencing the symptoms of having a bad taste in his mouth and of belching. To learn the source of the problem, Dr. Khandelwal ordered an ultra sound and an upper endoscopy.

That is when Dr. Khandelwal discovered a large mass on the man’s pancreas — cancer. The next step was to determine whether the patient would be a candidate for surgery — but that only would be the case if the cancer had not metastasized, or spread to other areas of the body.

Two days later, with Dr. Khandelwal shepherding the case through the healthcare system, personally calling other physicians and staff to ensure no time was wasted, the patient underwent an MRI. The MRI determined that the cancer, indeed, had not spread and that the patient could be a candidate for surgery. However, the patient had one more obstacle before he could be scheduled for surgery to remove the tumor.

Because of his advanced age, the patient had to receive clearance from his cardiologist for what is called a “Whipple” procedure, a complex six-hour operation. Pancreatic cancer ranks among the most deadly kinds of cancer but a Whipple procedure helps to enhance long-term survival rates.

According to WebMD, only 6 percent of pancreatic cancer patients are still alive five years after their diagnosis. However, those who undergo a successful Whipple procedure have a five-year survival rate of up to 25 percent. In terms of how many pancreatic cancer patients are candidates for the Whipple procedure, WebMD reports that only about 20 percent of patients are eligible.

This is what Dr. Khandelwal was charged with helping to determine, along with the patient’s cardiology team and others, during a relatively short time interval back in April.

“It’s a very tight area of the anatomy where a lot of sensitive organs come together,” Dr. Khandelwal explained of the Whipple procedure. “There’s the bile duct, the small intestine, the liver, the pancreas. The surgeon has to re-wire the anatomy because the anatomy there is so intricate and complicated. It’s one of the longest surgeries in the G.I. field. A general surgeon is not going to be able to do a Whipple procedure. It would have to be a pancreatic surgeon.”

Dr. Khandelwal said a cardiologist is required to sign off on the procedure because of the length of the time during which the patient must remain under anesthesia.

“You are lucky if you can get it and even luckier if you can get a Whipple that catches (the cancer) early enough,” Dr. Khandelwal said.

Thanks to Dr. Khandelwal’s involvement, the patient received clearance and underwent a successful procedure. The patient has had some complications from the surgery but, more than four months later, appeared ready to resume chemotherapy. While a long road remains ahead, because of Dr. Khandelwal’s diagnosis and action, the patient has a much improved outlook.

“He’s alive,” Dr. Khandelwal said. “Things are going well for him.”

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Dr. Feinberg, the former president and CEO of Georgia Cancer Specialists, is very familiar with acid reflux disease, also known as GERD. Not only does he suffer from it but his mother did, as well.

Dr. Yanda discussed the basic condition that results in GERD. “That valve at the junction of the esophagus and stomach doesn’t close properly and allows things from the stomach to get up into the esophagus,” he said. “The stomach lining is built to resist acid… The esophageal lining is very wimpy when it comes to acid so when the acid gets up there, it causes heartburn — not in everybody but in most people.”
With the advent of a category of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), gastroenterologists have enjoyed much greater success in treating patients who suffer from GERD.

Dr. Feinberg recalled his mother sleeping with a bottle of Maalox on her night table and TUMS being ubiquitous throughout her house. Dr. Feinberg himself inherited the problem and said he has tried a multitude of fixes: eliminating coffee from his diet, completely eliminating alcohol and even elevating his head six inches above his feet during sleep.

None of them quite have given him the same relief as PPIs. All of which illustrates one of the basic problems associated not just with GERD but with a number of other medical conditions and diseases. Dr. Yanda said that perhaps one factor that could serve to motivate patients who suffer from GERD is recent research that has indicated that long-term use of PPIs can be associated with some serious medical conditions, including dementia.

“That’s the big challenge,” said Dr. Yanda, who was recently named a Top Doctor by Atlanta magazine and has earned the distinction as a National Top Doctor from the medical research company Castle Connolly. “As more of these reports come out about the potential risks of these drugs, maybe people will be more motivated to do some of these (lifestyle changes) but it’s hard. Cardiologists, diabetes doctors — all these patients have diseases they’d be better off with weight loss but it’s just hard to get patients to lose weight.”

Dr. Yanda also fielded a wide variety of questions on GERD, as well as colorectal cancer and screening, from the show’s listeners. The Weekly Check-Up has more than 50,000 listeners each week.

To listen to Dr. Yanda’s entire appearance, click here:

http://www.weeklycheckup.com/blog/2016/82116-dr-randy-yanda-of-digestive-healthcare-of-georgia/

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Dr. Calloway’s interests within gastroenterology include inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer screening, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), infectious GI diseases and gastrointestinal bleeding. She is trained in upper and lower endoscopy.

An Atlanta native, Dr. Calloway earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Morehouse School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill, N.C., where she served as a chief resident. She completed her fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Calloway home to Atlanta!

Dr. Calloway is accepting new patients and welcomes most major insurance plans.

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