In addition to the team of gastroenterology medical and surgical doctors, we offer patients a range of clinical support services.
Endoscopy
A procedure that allows your doctor to see your gastrointestinal tract using high-definition video equipment. Types of endoscopies used in IBD include upper GI endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, colonoscopy, and double balloon enteroscopy.
Pathology
Gastroenterology pathologists provide comprehensive knowledge of digestives disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences.
Radiology
Radiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating inflammatory bowel diseases using medical imaging techniques.
Mental Health Services
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can affect you both physically and mentally. Psychologists provide mental health services to help you lead a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Nutritional Services
Registered dietitians work with you to develop a specialized healthy eating plan to help you control your symptoms.
Integrative Medicine
The innovative program brings together conventional medicine, complementary therapies, and lifestyle changes. It emphasizes a compassionate healing relationship between patients and their caregivers, and views the patient as whole person – mind, body, and spirit. You can be referred to the program for an initial consult for acupuncture, massage, and integrative medicine group visits. The program also offer a variety of drop-in services including tai chi, healthy cooking classes, yoga, and Zumba. For more information, please see the integrative medicine section on the Boston University School of Medicine website or call 617-414-6795.
Ostomy Care
Nurses understand that caring for an ostomy is important. Medical staff will help empty, or replace your pouch when needed. They will care for your skin and watch out for skin irritations.
Palliative Services
Many of the services provided are intended to offer comfort patients with feeding difficulties related to a serious illness. For example, the staff can help patients with esophageal cancer to eat normally by placing an endoscopic stent in the esophagus or by the use of photodynamic therapy, allowing food to pass beyond the cancerous area into the stomach. This procedure can replace a gastrostomy tube and offer patients the pleasure of eating. For patients with conditions that cannot be stented, such as ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) or the aftermath of stroke, a gastrostomy tube can offer them the opportunity of being fed at home.