The gastroenterology field is evolving quickly, driven by new treatments, private equity and shifting policies.
Here are 15 trends and statistics showcasing how the GI field is evolving:
1. The average annual hospital revenue generated by gastroenterologists is $2.9 million.
2. It takes a median of 186 days for healthcare organizations to fill an open gastroenterologist position.
3. By 2037, the U.S. is projected to have a shortage of nearly 1,400 gastroenterologists.
4. GI procedures remain the dominant specialty in ASCs, accounting for nearly 28.3% of all Medicare ASC procedure volume in 2023.
5. GI procedure volume continues to accelerate in outpatient settings, pushing major gastroenterology groups to expand their ASC footprints.
6. Gastroenterologist pay jumped 5% from 2024 to 2025, according to AMGA 2025 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey.
7. Only 37% of gastroenterologists report feeling fairly compensated in 2025, reflecting widespread concerns over pay equity and value recognition in the specialty.
8. Facility-based colorectal cancer screening among young adults in the U.S. has become more prevalent since medical guidelines lowered the recommended age to begin CRC screening to 45, according to findings from a study published in JAMA Network.
9. About 32% of gastroenterologists say they take on extra work to supplement their income, underscoring ongoing workload strain and burnout risk.
10. The number of private equity-backed GI groups has grown 28% since 2021, with expansion accelerating in 2025. This wave of consolidation is reshaping the GI landscape and fueling debate about physician autonomy and practice ownership.
11. Commercial insurers paid far less for common gastrointestinal procedures performed in ASCs than in hospital outpatient departments, a recent study found.
12. In some metro areas, private equity firms employ over 30% of gastroenterologists, often with a single firm dominating local market share, according to a Government Accountability Office report.
13. The demand for gastroenterology care is surging as rates of colonoscopy, earlier-onset colon cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease continue to climb.
14. Private equity ownership of gastroenterology practices has led to higher prices and spending, but showed no effect on quality, according to a JAMA Health Forum analysis.
15. While gastroenterology deal activity has declined sharply over the past three years, momentum is expected to continue as independent practices pursue consolidation to gain scale and modernization benefits, according to a Q1 2025 corporate finance report from KPMG.
