Gastroenterology is rapidly transforming as health systems invest in outpatient digestive care, private equity-backed platforms expand and new technology reshapes endoscopy delivery. All the while, rising screening demand, workforce shortages and reimbursement pressures are shifting how GI services are structured and delivered.
Here are five trends disrupting the GI market:
- Health systems pour millions of dollars into GI centers: Hospitals are increasing investment in gastroenterology as demand for endoscopic services rises, driven by expanded screening guidelines and post-COVID backlogs. GI conditions cost the U.S. about $120 billion annually, and the GI ASC market has grown to $6.2 billion, projected to expand nearly 7% annually through 2030. Health systems are building dedicated digestive health hubs to capture outpatient volume, with potential site-neutral payment reforms expected to further accelerate the shift.
- Private equity and consolidation continue to wield influence: Gastroenterology consolidation accelerated in 2025 as private equity-backed groups expanded rapidly, with the number of PE-owned GI platforms up 28% since 2021. In some metro areas, firms now employ more than 30% of gastroenterologists, fueling debate over physician autonomy and practice ownership. At the same time, independent practices have continued pursuing consolidation to gain scale, capital and modernization support amid rising demand for outpatient GI care.
- GI groups race to build outpatient endoscopy networks: Large gastroenterology organizations focused on ASC growth in 2025, building extensive outpatient endoscopy networks as more procedures moved out of hospitals. Platforms including U.S. Digestive Health, GI Alliance, Gastro Health, United Digestive and Allied Digestive Health expanded through new center development, joint ventures and strategic acquisitions. The push reflects how outpatient infrastructure, not just practice ownership, has become a key driver of GI market disruption.
- Rising screening demand collides with operational headwinds: GI procedure volume continues to climb as colorectal cancer screening expands to younger patients and more endoscopy cases shift into outpatient settings. At the same time, reimbursement pressure, prior authorization delays and rising supply costs are straining ASC throughput and contributing to longer wait times. Workforce shortages also limit how many colonoscopies and endoscopic procedures centers can schedule each day, even as demand grows.
5. AI and new GI technology boom: Gastroenterology practices are increasingly adopting AI-enabled tools to improve both clinical detection and patient access. AI-assisted colonoscopy platforms are helping physicians identify precancerous lesions more accurately, while AI is also being used for scheduling, triage and workflow optimization. Some groups have deployed 24/7 AI voice agents to automate patient intake and education.
