NOVEL & NOTEWORTHY

ACG’S NEW FUNCTIONAL GI HEALTH & NUTRITION CIRCLE

A new online forum dedicated to functional gastrointestinal health and nutrition joins ACG’s other online professional networking Circles dedicated to inflammatory bowel disease and hepatitis. The ACG Functional GI Health and Nutrition Circle offers ACG members a private, secure platform for clinical discussion and professional exchange. Led by co-chairs Eamonn M. M. Quigley, MD, FACG, and Lawrence R. Schiller, MD, FACG, along with a panel of expert moderators, the ACG Functional GI Health and Nutrition Circle is designed as a trusted online platform for professional collaboration and support— as well as a valuable resource to help ACG members deliver quality patient care. Community members can share insights and increase their knowledge and awareness of key issues related to functional GI health conditions, the important role of diet and nutrition in GI health and disease, as well as other important topics related to functional GI disorders, including patient evaluation, treatment decisions and other clinical challenges. If you have never explored these online communities before, request an invitation and register to access the new Functional GI Health & Nutrition Circle, as well as ACG’s other online communities.

ACCESS THE ACG GI CIRCLES ONLINE COMMUNITY AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION

acg-gi-circle.within3.com

QUESTIONS?

Email support@within3.com

WOMEN IN GI: THE FOCUS OF A NEW ACG CIRCLE

Women in GI is the focus of a new online community where ACG members can collaborate, gain expert insight, and expand their knowledge and awareness of caring for women with GI disorders, as well as discuss issues related to being a woman with a career in Gastroenterology. Jill Gaidos, MD, FACG, and Colleen R. Kelly, MD, FACG, serve as Co-Chairs of an outstanding expert panel which hopes to spark meaningful discussions and answer your most pressing questions. Whether you have questions about a challenging clinical case, need advice regarding a promotion or negotiating for a raise, or want insight about contract negotiations or selecting a practice, we invite you to reach out to our panel at any time by posting your question in this new community. Members are also encouraged to start and comment on discussions with their colleagues and share their unique insights and experiences. This new community will also serve as a hub for links to the latest research on disorders more commonly seen in female patients, offer treatment recommendations for difficult clinical cases, and provide resources to support women in GI, both in their careers and outside of work.

If you have never explored these online communities before, request an invitation and register to access the new Women in GI community, as well as ACG’s other online communities.

NEW MEMBER BENEFITS OFFER SECURITY, PEACE OF MIND— PLANNING FOR YOUR BEST FUTURE

Wealth Management Strategies

The College is excited to announce the launch of new ACG Member Benefits in 2017. We recognize the ever-changing needs of members and we are constantly striving to bring you value as a member of the College—not only in the areas of clinical research, education and practice management, but in all areas that affect your practice and your lives. The College has partnered with Wealth Management Strategies to identify, design, and secure unique benefits for ACG members in the areas of retirement, planning, investments and insurance. These benefits have been designed and negotiated specifically for ACG members.

Whether you are planning for a comfortable retirement or against unexpected risks, the important thing is to plan. The path to successful planning, however, is not always easy. To help navigate your path and facilitate your efforts, the College is proud to offer a suite of options to help you prepare. ACG, with the help of Wealth Management Strategies, has negotiated these new member benefits to offer security and peace of mind for you and your family’s future. • High-Limit Disability Insurance with special ACG pricing • Physicians Life Income Plan: Retirement accumulation supplement • Company Retirement Platform with specific ACG pricing • Personal Financial Management Portal: Robust online financial management tool

• Personal and Business Planning

Learn more about these new member opportunities: gi.org

Wealth Management Strategies is a full service private wealth management firm, working primarily with business owners, physicians, and high net worth families on insurance strategies, wealth accumulation and protection, and estate planning.

ABSTATS: A WEARABLE BIOSENSOR FOR THE GUT

An unmet need in gastroenterology is the ability to non-invasively monitor intestinal motility and digestion. AbStats is an FDA-cleared, wearable biosensor that non-invasively measures intestinal activity. “It's like a real-time gut speedometer,” said Brennan M. R. Spiegel, MD, MSHS, FACG, who developed the technology with colleagues at UCLA and who now directs Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. The AbStats sensor is disposable, about the size of a large coin, lays on the external abdominal wall either with Tegaderm (for inpatients) or with a reusable belt (for outpatients), and has a small microphone inside that dutifully listens to bowel sounds and vibrations.

A specialized computer analyzes the results and presents a value called the "intestinal rate” (IR), which is like a new vital sign for the gut. The IR is measured in intestinal events per minute, and correlates with GI status. For example, a prolonged IR of 0–1 per minute indicates ileus, 2–5 is a normal fasting state, 6–20 generally indicates inter-digestive state, and >20 is typically recorded during active digestion. Published research shows that AbStats can predict which postoperative patients are likely to develop ileus. Current research is testing whether AbStats users will alter ingestion behavior using smartphone-based guidance about when it is an appropriate time to eat (in the “green zone” gut speedometer reading) versus when eating is premature (a “red zone” reading.)

INTESTINAL RATINGS

0–1 per minute indicates ileus 2–5 is a normal fasting state 6–20 generally indicates inter-digestive state >20 is typically recorded during active digestion

LEARN MORE ABOUT ABSTATS: GI-LOGIC.COM @BrennanSpiegel 