Clinicians, researchers, healthcare leaders and GI innovators are embracing new technologies to enhance the precision and efficiency of diagnostic procedures, such as colonoscopies and endoscopies, to catch and treat disease earlier and at a lower cost.
That movement comes as the proliferation of gastrointestinal diseases in the U.S. shows no signs of slowing with GI cancers expected to double by 2050 — increasingly affecting younger populations.
“We’re at a very exciting time,” Thomas Shin, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist and minimally invasive GI and bariatric surgeon at Charlottesville-based University of Virginia told Becker’s. “When we talk about GI surgery, the [1980s] kind of brought in the laparoscopy era [and] minimally invasive surgery. We spent the better half of the last 30 years refining that as a skill set. But now with technological advancements, we have things like a surgical robot and it’s the first time that we are able to go from analog to digital in terms of surgery.”
One recent advancement comes from Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, who in July 2025 launched a study at Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center to determine the viability of connecting Medtronic’s GI Genius endoscopy module with Apple Vision Pro.
“They converted the Apple Vision Pro into the clinical cockpit of endoscopy,” Irving Waxman, MD, James R. Lowenstine professor and chief of the division of digestive diseases and nutrition at Rush, told Becker’s. Dr. Waxman led the study, which tested the software’s compatibility with three Rush hospitals and one ASC.
The technology not only improves adenoma and polyp detection rates, but also allows the endoscopist to annotate their procedures in real-time.
“Studies have shown that utilizing this AI module, you actually detect up to 15% more of adenoma,” Dr. Waxman said. “Now, when you take into account that an increase of 1% in detection of an adenoma decreases, the chances of developing colon cancer in the interval between the follow-up colonoscopy by 3%. That’s a huge impact.”
Outside of polyp detection, AI is being leveraged to enhance the efficiency and flow of GI practices in an effort to cut down on wait times and make preventive services more accessible.
For example, Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Peak Gastroenterology Associate recently partnered with virtual health platform WovenX Health in such an effort. Through the partnership, Peak Gastroenterology Associates will deploy WovenX’s Fast Track Colonoscopy technology platform to streamline pre-procedure intake, reduce consult visits and allow eligible patients to proceed directly to screening.
Some GIs see this type of application as having an even more meaningful impact on the expansion of GI care than enhanced CRC screenings.
“We’re really falsely caught up in AI being solely in polyp detection,” Neil Parikh, MD, a gastroenterologist with Farmington-based Connecticut GI, told Becker’s. “I feel like we were confused by this — the GI community just assumes AI means polyp detection — but where I see it going, and where I think other specialties are also taking it, is really in both predictive analysis and chronic care management.”
Additionally, an Aug. 12, 2025, study published in The Lancet found that routine use of artificial intelligence in colonoscopy procedures may reduce endoscopists’ ability to detect precancerous polyps when AI is not available. Adenoma detection rates in non-AI procedures dropped from 28.4% before AI adoption to 22.4% after, representing a 20% relative decline.
“When it comes to polyp detection, you still really need human judgment,” he said. “The job of artificial intelligence in its current state is to help make sure you’re not missing anything that should not be there.”
Inflammatory bowel disease is one example of where AI could improve chronic care management, Dr. Parikh added. By synthesizing patient data, AI could predict when a flare might occur, anticipate treatment needs and forecast the course of illness before symptoms worsen.
Bariatric surgery is another area of GI care that is likely to shift as new AI-enhanced surgical platforms and robotics become more ubiquitous in healthcare overall. But operating room time and payer hurdles still present hurdles for practice growth.
“Our only limitation right now to getting people to surgery is OR time,” Catherine Varney, DO, director of obesity medicine for University of Virginia Health in Charlottesville, told Becker’s. “That’s the huge rate-limiting set for us. Now, insurance companies have these really arbitrary restrictions of [requiring patients] to have six months of pre-nutritional counseling. The research does not support that those people have better outcomes. It’s beneficial, because it gives us time to adequately prepare patients for what life is like afterward, but it’s not necessary.”
Dr. Varney, who operates the first tri-accredited bariatric ASC in Virginia, said that on the flip side, the rapid development of robotics in GI surgery are helping to cut down on readmissions — one of the most vital metrics in her field.
“Robotic interventions have been really revolutionary in decreasing complication bleeds, post-surgical complications and decreasing 30-day readmission rates,” she said. “Revisional surgeries are increasing.”
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.