Direct feedback from patients leads to improved experiences in digestive care

With a renewed focus on improving integration and strengthening teams to provide an optimal patient experience, two new leaders have taken the reins of the AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute (DHI).

Following direct feedback from patients, AdventHealth aligned digestive services to increase access for patients and provide a better experience as they navigate from colonoscopies to surgery as well as metabolic and weight loss medicine.

To foster a team approach to patient care, six different digestive services will be under the same umbrella and leadership team:

• Colorectal surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Weight loss medicine and bariatric surgery
• Endocrinology and diabetes medicine
• General surgery
• Reconstructive and plastic surgery

Technology helps with scheduling appointments

One of the keys for improving patient access is to leverage technology with a new tool for appointment scheduling, according to Margaret White, who was recently named the vice president of the AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute. Called the GI Access Center, the tool is a centralized command center for all a patient’s gastrointestinal (GI) needs. Calling this one-stop-shop number, patients will schedule their appointments and the GI Access Center will look across all AdventHealth facilities to book the earliest available appointment at their desired location – the goal is to get a patient into the hospital and seen by a provider within 72 hours.

A native Floridian, White began her career in health care 25 years ago when she graduated with degrees in occupational therapy and nursing before coming to AdventHealth in 2007. While working at AdventHealth, she received a master’s level executive business degree from the University of Miami.

She is an avid runner and regularly participates in AdventHealth Track Shack events as part of the Track Shack Marathon Fest running/training groups, mainly running half marathons and 5K’s these days.

Integrated services in a more relaxed setting

Another new initiative for the Digestive Health Institute is integrating services for weight loss management and bariatric surgery to provide an improved continuum of care. There are also plans for a medical spa in Orlando where community members and digestive health patients have access to the reconstructive and plastic surgery team post-procedure.

The goal is to offer a variety of options in a less clinical setting that’s outside of highly invasive surgical procedures, according to Lindsay Agema, newly named executive director of the AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute.

Agema has been part of the AdventHealth team for 12 years and joins DHI from the strategic planning team where she helped partner with DHI in the development of multi-year business plans and aspirations.

Outside of work, you will find this recent University of Florida master’s program graduate searching for a travel adventure or creating art. In fact, Agema once donated a piece of her artwork to an AdventHealth campus in West Florida.

About the AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute

U.S. News & World Report recently rankedfour AdventHealth Orlando clinical programs, including diabetes and endocrinology, among the nation’s best. Six specialties ranked as “high performing,” including gastroenterology and GI surgery.

The AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute is also home to the largest interventional endoscopy center in the U.S. and we hold multiple accreditations for our subspecialty programs, bringing world-class care to our community. Specialists work together to deliver comprehensive care to treat a spectrum of conditions— from swallowing disorders to inflammatory bowel disease treatment and everything in between.