New Yale Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center Responds to Growing Demand for IBD Treatment and Research

Recent studies estimate that by 2035, one in 100 people in the United States will have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic inflammation of the digestive system. In response to this growing demand for IBD care, Yale School of Medicine faculty established the new Yale Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center. The center serves as a hub for research, clinical care, and medical education to improve the treatment of patients with IBD. Currently, the Yale IBD Center sees more than 2,000 active patients with IBD, including those with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

“This new Yale IBD Center helps focus and grow our clinical research, clinical care, and educational activities so we can provide exceptional care for our patients while advancing our understanding of how best to care for people with this condition,” says Loren Laine, MD, professor of medicine (digestive diseases) and chief of the Section of Digestive Diseases.

The Yale IBD Center includes gastroenterologists, surgeons, dietitians, ostomy nurses, clinical pharmacists, social workers, and other specialists. This allows patients to see multiple specialists within a single visit.

“People with IBD often need to consult multiple specialists because of disease complications, potential medication-related issues, or comorbidities,” says Jill Gaidos, MD, associate professor of medicine (digestive diseases) and the medical director for the Yale IBD Center. “By building a true multidisciplinary team, we have created a one-stop shop that is more convenient for patients and makes it easier to get good, comprehensive care.”

“During our weekly clinics where we have both surgeons and IBD specialists, we can talk with patients about treatment options, and expeditiously choose medications or surgery in one visit,” adds Vikram Reddy, MD, PhD, chief of colon and rectal surgery and surgical director for the Yale IBD Center. “This approach lets us personalize care plans quickly with the input of everyone so that we can get the patients feeling better sooner.”

Recently, Yale School of Medicine was selected by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation to participate in a pragmatic research study focused on tailoring care to each patient’s quality-of-life goals. In this study, patients receive more proactive communication to assess their condition and symptoms, so physicians can intervene earlier if a patient is not feeling well.

The center is also participating in multiple clinical trials to explore new treatments for IBD, including comparative trials where patients do not need to accept a potential placebo treatment arm.

“We always try to have clinical trials available to offer our patients access to new or upcoming therapies that may be more effective for them,” says Gaidos. “When I follow up with a patient, and they tell me they are living life and have forgotten they have inflammatory bowel disease—that lights me up. Even when patients come in feeling very sick, I can honestly tell them, ‘You will feel better, and we’re going to keep working on this until you do.’”

Last year, Yale New Haven Hospital became the first organization in Connecticut to offer intestinal ultrasounds for IBD care. Point-of-care intestinal ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging technology that can replace some burdensome tests, such as colonoscopies, stool testing, or imaging, while providing clinicians with more timely insights about patients’ intestinal health.

Gaidos is working towards getting the Yale IBD Center designated as a training site for intestinal ultrasound by the International Bowel Ultrasound Group. This designation would allow Yale to help train fellows and faculty in this technique and expand access to intestinal ultrasound across the United States. Several Yale faculty members, as well as fellows in Yale’s advanced IBD fellowship program, will begin training soon.

Early next year, Yale School of Medicine will host its third annual IBD conference, focusing on caring for special populations, including older adults, pregnant patients, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with complications of inflammatory bowel disease.

“Research shows there are barriers and gaps in care for some of these special populations,” says Gaidos. “Our conference will help teach GI doctors, advanced practice providers, and other clinicians how to better care for these patients.”

Registration for the conference is now open.

Digestive Diseases, one of 10 sections in the Yale Department of Internal Medicine, is committed to advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology and hepatology through extensive laboratory and clinical research, comprehensive training for future leaders in liver and gastrointestinal disorders, and the delivery of state-of-the-art patient care. To learn more, visit Digestive Diseases.