GASTROENTEROLOGY INSTITUTE

The new Gastroenterology Institute will provide a comprehensive spectrum of services, offering patients access to leading-edge diagnostics and interventional procedures right here at home.

FRENCHMAN’S CREEK CENTER FOR DIGESTIVE HEALTH

Every year, more than 34 million people in the United States are affected by a digestive disorder. Patients seeking care for gastrointestinal conditions at Jupiter Medical Center are cared for in the Frenchman’s Creek Digestive Health Center. The sophisticated facility was made possible by a generous donation from the Frenchman’s Creek Men’s Health Day Tournament received during the campaign’s first phase. Services include advanced, therapeutic endoscopic treatments, the latest minimally invasive surgical and interventional treatments, and access to novel therapies and clinical trials. As the campaign enters its second phase, philanthropic support is sought for the creation of a comprehensive, new resource that takes the achievements and successes of our digestive health specialties to a new level: the Jupiter Medical Center Gastroenterology Institute.

TECHNOLOGY

Jupiter Medical Center is committed to staying on the cutting edge of gastroenterology diagnostics and treatments. We have acquired equipment to perform radiofrequency ablation for Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal and anorectal motility studies, Bravo pH studies, and capsule endoscopy.

We were the first medical center in Florida to acquire the CONMED 3D Advanced Visualization System™ for bariatric surgery. We will soon be purchasing additional technologies that will provide new diagnostic and therapeutic options for complicated gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disease in South Florida. These include the Spyglass® Direct Visualization System that allows physicians to view the bile duct and liver, and the endoscopic functional luminal imaging probe (EndoFLIP) that allows physicians to more accurately identify patients who may benefit from a surgical approach to gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Even colonoscopy, the gold standard for colorectal cancer prevention, is in a constant state of evolution. Soon, another generation of colonoscopes with even more sophisticated optics will be released.

EXPANDING OUR SERVICES

Jupiter Medical Center’s patient and procedure volumes have risen since the Digestive Health Center’s opening. However, we are not yet able to offer the latest therapies for all gastrointestinal conditions. To address such needs, deepening our roster of experienced, fellowship-trained gastroenterologists and endoscopists is a top priority.

Additional philanthropic support will also make it possible for the gastrointestinal team to expand and build out advanced suites that enable surgeons and endoscopists to collaborate on multiple procedures at one time.

HEPATOBILIARY AND PANCREATIC CANCER PROGRAM

The Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer Program will become the region’s foremost diagnostic and treatment center for patients with liver and pancreatic diseases, including disorders of the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder and pancreas. Surgical procedures for these diseases are usually advanced and complicated. Special training and skill are required to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients. This program, once developed, will be multidisciplinary with the latest technological advancements.

With the recruitment of Dr. Shanel Bhagwandin, Medical Director for the Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology program, Jupiter Medical Center is able to offer complex liver resections, the Whipple procedure, microwave ablation, and is seeing regional referrals of patients that have complicated injuries to the bile duct during routine cholecystectomy. As the only board-certified surgical oncologist in Martin, Indian River, St. Lucie and Palm beach counties, Dr. Bhagwandin also performs the Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedure for patients with cancer that has spread to various areas in the abdomen. HIPEC is a highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy treatment that is delivered directly to the abdomen during surgery. Before HIPEC is administered, the surgeon—using standard surgical methods—will remove all visible tumors that can be removed throughout the peritoneal cavity. This is known as cytoreductive surgery.

MEETING THE CHALLENGES

New insights into the intricate workings of the digestive tract, the precursors of serious disease, and the course of disease for cancers that affect digestive organs, are constantly propelling new treatment strategies and technologies. The Gastroenterology Institute is on course to provide a comprehensive spectrum of services that will allow community members, with virtually any gastrointestinal condition, to access the specialized, diagnostic and interventional procedures they require right here at Jupiter Medical Center.