Gastroenterology is constantly evolving, with new technologies reshaping care delivery and access as well as the broader patient experience.
From AI-driven detection and scheduling to advanced imaging and minimally invasive therapies, the following five innovations are improving outcomes while helping practices manage rising demand, staffing constraints and economic pressure.
1. AI tools improve polyp detection and endoscopy workflows: AI is gaining traction in gastroenterology, particularly in polyp detection, documentation and scheduling. Benjamin Levy III, MD, a gastroenterologist at University of Chicago Medicine, told Becker’s that computer-aided detection systems could improve colonoscopy quality by identifying harder-to-see lesions.
“Computer-aided detection technology systems that help detect polyps hopefully will become even better at finding significant polyps that are small, flat or difficult to see due to the prep quality,” he said, adding that AI may also help identify sessile serrated adenomas.
Dr. Levy also pointed to ambient listening tools that speed up accurate procedure documentation, while leaders cautioned that cost and integration challenges remain barriers for independent ASCs.
2. Advanced imaging tools expand diagnostic precision in GI care: While AI is improving workflow and detection efficiency, new endoscopic imaging technologies are changing what clinicians can see during procedures.
Innovations such as multi-contrast laser endoscopy and confocal laser endomicroscopy enhance tissue visualization and allow for real-time, microscopic imaging during endoscopy. These tools enable earlier and more accurate identification of abnormalities, including cancer, inflammation and Barrett’s esophagus, without relying solely on traditional biopsies.
3. AI-powered patient access platforms reshape how GI groups manage demand: Beyond clinical applications, gastroenterology practices are increasingly adopting AI-enabled patient access infrastructure to handle rising administrative volume and staffing constraints.
For example, Chicago-based GI Partners of Illinois deployed Simbie AI’s 24/7 AI voice agents for patient scheduling, registration, order placement and patient education, creating a fully automated digital front door. These platforms can reduce hold times, improve responsiveness and help practices scale patient intake without adding personnel as labor costs rise and shortages persist.
4. Technology investments support the shift of GI procedures into outpatient and ASC settings: GI procedures continue to migrate out of hospitals and into ASCs, where GI represents a dominant share of Medicare ASC volume.
Rising demand driven by earlier screening guidelines and increased younger-onset colorectal cancer is accelerating this shift, even as reimbursement pressure, prior authorization requirements, workforce shortages and higher supply costs intensify operational strain. In response, GI groups are expanding ASC capacity through new centers, joint ventures and technology investments to manage higher volumes and growing procedural complexity in outpatient settings.
5. New minimally invasive and noninvasive therapies expand GI treatment options: Gastroenterologists are adopting novel technologies to treat complex GI and liver tumors.
At Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health, physicians used a newly acquired full-thickness resection device to remove a neuroendocrine tumor during a routine screening colonoscopy, avoiding more invasive intervention. In Kentucky, a Louisville-based UofL Health team became the first in the state to treat a liver tumor using histotripsy, a noninvasive, ultrasound-based therapy. Both cases highlight the power of emerging treatments to reduce recovery time while expanding therapeutic options for patients.
