Gastrointestinal and liver specialist with board certification in obesity medicine
“During my training, I observed many of my patients struggling with not only their chronic medical problems such as GERD, diabetes, HTN, but also obesity. I started to realize that the root of many of these chronic medical conditions was in fact his/her underlying obesity. Currently, I treat patients with a myriad of gastrointestinal disorders ranging from gastroesophageal reflux to gallstones to fatty liver. All of these diagnoses can be linked to obesity. Currently, about 70% of US adults are overweight, and over 30% are obese. This is often overlooked by many healthcare providers as we focus on managing the complications of obesity such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and so forth. The more I learned about obesity and the associated health risks, the more I felt obligated as a physician to take a more active role in the management of obesity. As a gastroenterologist, my foundation in internal medicine as well as my expertise in treating disorders of the digestive tract and performing endoscopic therapies equips me with the skills and knowledge to do so. Because of this desire to help my patients not only in the field of gastroenterology, but also their overall well-being, I decided to obtain my board certification in Obesity Medicine. I hope to incorporate teaching patients about obesity, nutrition and exercise in my practice as a gastroenterologist in hopes of helping them lose weight, and hopefully, help them improve their overall health.”
Patient Advocate
” I truly believe that listening to your patient and showing empathy allows a patient to open up and share information that they may not have felt comfortable discussing in the first place.”
During Dr. Patel’s down time, she enjoys exploring other cultures by traveling and trying new cuisines. She is always looking for new recipes and suggestions for new travel destinations! She is married and has a dog named Ace. Dr. Patel says “A large part of being a gastroenterologist is working with your hands (given all of the procedures we perform!). This trait extends into my personal life as I enjoy crafting and DIY projects. Crafting helps me de-stress and the end product, a project I can gift to others, is rewarding to me. “