Gastroenterology has been a hub of innovation in robotic surgery, AI applications and other technology aimed at improving workflows and enhancing the effectiveness of diagnostic procedures.

Part of the drive toward innovation is due to the growing demand for GI services in the U.S. Gastrointestinal cancers are expected to double globally by 2050, driven largely by pancreatic cancer diagnosis and colorectal cancer deaths. Colorectal cancer is also showing up more frequently in younger populations, adding to the pressure. 

Thomas Shin, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist and minimally invasive GI surgeon at Charlottesville-based University of Virginia, recently joined Becker’s to discuss his predictions for what will move the needle in gastroenterology in the near future. 

Editor’s note: This response has been lightly edited for clarity and length. 

Question: Where do you see tech innovation in GI going next? 

Dr. Thomas Shin: I would be very surprised if we don’t see a major player arise that can solve the perioperative inefficiency problem. I think we’re done with the days of expand and produce more … [M]y impression of it all is, it’s not doomsday, but the era of expansion is kind of over. It’s more about resource stewardship — being efficient with what we have.

I think the IV fluid fiasco of last year showed that a market-changing event happened, and we all had to adjust. And ever since then, we’re like, “Oh, wow, we don’t actually need that much IV fluid to operate on a daily basis.” That actually changed our practice patterns, and so I think more and more the stressors in the healthcare system are forcing us to become more creative in terms of being efficient with the resources that we have.