From AI-assisted endoscopy and triage models to outpatient expansion, these are the disruptors gastroenterologists told Becker’s will define the specialty’s next chapter.
Question: What do you see as the biggest disruptor facing gastroenterology in 2026?
Editor’s note: These responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Gurneet Bedi, MD. Gastroenterologist and Advanced Endoscopist at GastroFlorida (Clearwater): In 2026, the biggest disruptor in gastroenterology will be the intersection of AI, private equity and hospital alignment, and how these forces reshape physician autonomy.
As consolidation accelerates, patients are increasingly gravitating toward independent practices that are accessible, efficient and physician-led rather than embedded in complex health systems. AI will further highlight operational inefficiencies and reward organizations that can move quickly and adapt. Health systems that partner thoughtfully with independent practices, rather than defaulting to acquisition or control, will be better positioned to meet patient expectations and deliver sustainable value.
Tyler Berzin, MD. Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston): I would argue that a “negative disruptor” in gastroenterology in 2026 will be the growing penalty for innovation and complexity. Advanced endoscopic procedures and their supporting technologies require significant expertise and infrastructure that current reimbursement models still fail to recognize. As a result, innovation is constrained not by what is technically possible, but by what the system is willing to value.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection has been a clear example: in appropriate patients, it can help avoid major surgery, yet legacy payment structures have discouraged hospitals from investing in it at scale. While there is now some light on the horizon for ESD, with CPT codes finally established after many years, many other high-value procedures remain without fair reimbursement. A similar pattern may emerge in the AI space with tools that extend beyond polyp detection toward AI-supported diagnosis and decision-making. Because these tools do not align with existing billing categories, their clinical value may remain largely invisible to the system.
Sumant Inamdar, MD. Interventional Gastroenterologist at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Little Rock): I believe the biggest disruptor facing gastroenterology in 2026 will be the growing strain on the workforce, occurring at the same time that AI-driven care models are reshaping how we deliver care. GI practices are caring for more patients and more complex diseases with persistent shortages of physicians, nurses and anesthesia staff, while AI, automation and digital platforms are quickly evolving into tools that can meaningfully reshape care delivery.
AI is increasingly positioned to reshape the front and back end of care, from intelligent referral triage and risk stratification to decision support for surveillance intervals, peri-procedural planning and resource allocation. Rather than relying solely on manual workflows and reactive scheduling, practices will move toward data-driven triage models that prioritize the right patient, in the right setting, at the right time. This shift will also accelerate outpatient and ambulatory expansion, while requiring tighter coordination across physicians, anesthesia, nursing and digital systems to safely manage growing demand with finite staff.
For clinicians, the disruption is not about replacing judgment, but about augmenting it by reducing cognitive burden, improving access and allowing teams to focus on higher-value clinical decisions. Health systems that fail to adapt operationally and technologically will struggle with access bottlenecks, staff burnout and inefficiency. In contrast, organizations that thoughtfully integrate AI into clinical and operational workflows will be better positioned to deliver scalable, high-quality and patient-centered GI care in an increasingly constrained environment.
Brian Lacy, MD, PhD. Gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville, Fla.): AI in GI. Both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Neil Parikh, MD. Chief of Gastroenterology at Hartford (Conn.) Hospital and Chief Innovation Officer of Connecticut GI (Rocky Hill): I always say that robust innovation needs disruptors, and I am looking forward to some positive disruptors in 2026. We have only touched the surface when it comes to AI, and most of us in GI still believe AI only means computer-aided detection of polyps.
AI can do a lot more for workflow optimization, disease risk stratification and enhancing predictive precision medicine. Along the same lines, I believe we brick-and-mortar gastroenterology practices will be aided further by digital health companions, we need to better incorporate remote patient monitoring and virtual care platforms to truly achieve the chronic care management our patients need. Thirdly, while I am not an interventional endoscopist, I am very hopeful that 2026 is finally the year that endobariatrics becomes a widespread option for our weight management patients: we need to get past the healthcare system economics and offer patients endobariatrics along with bariatric surgery.
Finally, along the lines of healthcare economics, I think site-of-care costs will continue to drive us to be more creative in our procedure offerings at ASCs. While the negative pain points of access and cost will always persist, I am hopeful that some of these positive disruptors will allow us to optimize how we provide the best care for our patients.
Roopa Vemulapalli, MD. Director of GI Operations at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital and Medical Director of the Digestive Disease Clinic at UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas): I think the biggest disruptor facing gastroenterology in 2026 is the integration of AI across GI care, from AI-assisted endoscopy and clinical care pathways that improve quality, to scribe software and scheduling tools that reduce administrative burden.
