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On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for a Gastroenterologist in Mountain View, book an appointment, and see the Gastroenterologist within 24 hours. Same-day appointments are often available, you can search for real-time availability of Gastroenterologists in Mountain View who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Mountain View Gastroenterologist who takes your insurance. Just choose your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. If you’re not sure which plan you have, you can use Zocdoc’s insurance checker to find out.
Zocdoc is a free online service that helps patients find Gastroenterologists in Mountain View and book appointments instantly. You can search for Mountain View Gastroenterologists by symptom or visit reason. Then, choose your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of providers who meet your search criteria, along with their available appointment slots.
When you search for Mountain View Gastroenterologists on Zocdoc, you can filter your results by gender, in addition to other criteria. That way, you’ll only see Gastroenterologists in Mountain View who match your preferences.
On Zocdoc, you can search specifically for Mountain View Gastroenterologists with availability after 5 p.m.
You can use Zocdoc to find Gastroenterologists in Mountain View who are highly rated by other patients. These ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on Zocdoc, they’re invited to review their experience. Each review must comply with Zocdoc’s guidelines.
Gastroenterologists in Mountain View on Zocdoc who see patients through online video visits will have a purple video icon on their profiles. You can also filter your search results to show only Gastroenterologists who offer video visits.
Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Gastroenterologists in Mountain View who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Gastroenterologist who has appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page.
Zocdoc let's you see real-time availability for Gastroenterologists in Mountain View. Many Gastroenterologists offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays.
Gastroenterologists are physicians who train to focus on preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract and liver. They are specialists who can combine their deep knowledge of internal medicine and endoscopy to diagnose and provide the best care to patients.
Gastroenterology is the field of medicine that studies regular functioning and ailments observed within the diverse segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). The GI tract in human beings consists of the esophagus (the food pipe), stomach (gut), small intestine, large intestine (colon), rectum, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts. The GI system is crucial in breaking down ingested food, extracting vital nutrients, and eliminating waste substances from the organism.
Common reasons for consulting gastroenterologists include heartburn (acid reflux), severe and long-term constipation or diarrhea, blood in stools, difficulty swallowing, food regurgitation, and severe abdominal pain. Gastroenterologists possess all the knowledge and tools to help patients understand whether their condition is minor or severe.
To become a licensed gastroenterologist in the US, students begin with an undergraduate program concentrating on sciences—upon completion, they enroll and finish four years of medical school. After finishing medical school, gastroenterologists must complete a three-year residency focusing on internal medicine.
Fellowships in gastroenterology take two to three years to complete. Several national societies oversee gastrointestinal fellowships in the US—the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). After completing fellowships, gastroenterologists can add the suffixes—F.A.C.P. or (Fellow of the American College of Physicians) or F.A.C.G. (Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology) after their names.
Some gastroenterologists also become board-certified after completing their fellowship training. The American Board of Internal Medicine is the governing body in the US that conducts a written examination for certifying gastroenterologists. On completion of this exam, gastroenterologists are called board-certified.
Due to their rigorous training and experience, gastroenterologists can help patients prevent, diagnose, and manage critical conditions such as hepatitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, peptic ulcer disease, heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux), diseases affecting gallbladder and biliary tract, pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), colitis, and nutritional issues.
Gastroenterologists form an essential part of the clinical team responsible for overseeing cases of GI tract cancers. These malignancies occur in various body parts, including the esophagus, stomach, liver, intrahepatic ducts, biliary ducts, pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, colon, and rectum.
Your gut is often called your second brain. It plays a crucial role not only in digestion but also in your overall well-being. When your gut is out of balance, it can manifest in various symptoms that signal an unhealthy gut environment:
Recognizing these GI signs can help you take proactive steps toward restoring gut health. You can get help from visiting a gastroenterologist near you. They can perform different procedures to diagnose and treat the issue immediately.
Gastroenterologists undergo intensive training to perform various non-surgical procedures in the gastrointestinal system. Standard methods include upper endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy.
Gastroenterologists can also perform complex operations such as endoscopic mucosal resection (removing tumors), endoscopic biliary evaluation (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)), polypectomy (removal of polyps in the colon), and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). They are experts in inserting feeding tubes into the abdomen. They also have expertise in stopping bleeding in the GI tract using injection or cautery (also called hemostasis) and dilating the lining of the esophagus and intestines.
Endoscopy is a procedure where the gastroenterologist passes a tube through the mouth. The endoscopy tube is very narrow and flexible and has a light and camera at the other end, which helps the doctors visualize the linings of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastroenterologists have deep knowledge of placing the endoscopy tubes safely and performing sedation techniques to make the procedure comfortable. They also know how to interpret the procedures' readings and accurately diagnose them.
Upper endoscopy helps visualize the upper parts of the GI tract—the esophagus, gut, and small intestine. Capsule endoscopy, also known as double-balloon enteroscopy, captures the insides of the small intestine. Sigmoidoscopy concentrates on the large intestine, and colonoscopy sheds light on the colon (the most significant part of the large intestine).
You might have encountered the term proctologist while searching for a qualified gastroenterologist near you. But what exactly is a proctologist, and how does it differ from a gastroenterologist?
A proctologist is sometimes known as a colorectal surgeon. They are specialized surgeons for large intestines or lower digestive tract issues, which comprises the colon, rectum, and anus.
A proctologist is an American Board of Surgery-certified. They are experts in treating all areas of the GI tract. After medical school, they undergo six years of training and specialize in colorectal surgeries. Their training excludes specializing in the stomach, pancreas, liver disease, or inflammatory bowel disease. Hence, a proctologist differs from a gastroenterologist in their surgical training.
A gastroenterologist is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. After medical school, they undergo 2-3 years of training and specialize in treating stomach, pancreas, and liver diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease.
In determining whether to see a proctologist or a gastroenterologist, one should consider the location of the issue within the GI tract. A gastroenterologist might be more appropriate if the problem is higher in the stomach, pancreas, or liver. On the other hand, if the problem is in the colon, rectum, or anus, a proctologist would be the suitable choice.
Another consideration is whether surgery is required. A gastroenterologist focuses on treating disorders without performing surgical procedures. Even the best GI doctor near you can handle colonoscopies but not surgeries.
Often, gastroenterologists collaborate with proctologists. It would help if you got a referral from your gastroenterologist to a proctologist.
Lastly, both proctologists and gastroenterologists are qualified to perform invasive treatments such as endoscopy or laparoscopy if the issue calls for them.
Ultimately, your decision on whether to visit one of the two specialists or both simultaneously should be based on the specific location and nature of your problem.
One of the best ways to understand more about your condition is by asking relevant questions to your gastroenterologist during your appointment. A day or two before your visit, take some time to jot down your queries in your journal or smartphone. You can discuss the diagnosis, treatment, management, and prevention of GI conditions. If you need help formulating your thoughts, you can refer to the following comprehensive list of questions:
Diagnosis-related questions
Treatment-related questions
Prevention-related questions
A gastroenterologist safeguards our internal system and functioning—making it vital to find the right specialist. The task of finding a professional with the proper training, skills, and experience to diagnose and treat your condition can seem like a daunting task. However, with Zocdoc, this can be quite a simple process. Zocdoc allows one to filter gastroenterologists based on the symptoms, location, preferred appointment date and time, and doctor's specialty. Once you enter your details into the search boxes, Zocdoc will immediately go through its vast database and present you with a curated list of gastroenterologists who match your needs.
Insurance cover before beginning treatment with a gastroenterologist is often a life-saver, and Zocdoc can help you here, too. Select your current medical insurance from the drop-down menu on the Zocdoc website, and it will immediately show you in-network specialists who accept your insurance plan.
While Zocdoc has the complete A-Z insurance carriers and plans listed, sometimes you may find it challenging to find your particular plan. In that case, you can use our insurance detector feature. Go to your account settings and upload a photo of your insurance card. Zocdoc will scan it and suggest your likely plan. You can feed the information in the search bar and continue your search for providers accepting your insurance. You can look up our patient help center page for further reading.
Furthermore, Zocdoc also provides an individual doctor profile for every gastroenterologist listed on its website to help you make a confident and unbiased decision. The profile contains the specialists' educational background, including years of training and experience, fellowships and certifications, accreditation and affiliations, and previous awards. The profile also tells you which age group of patients, the conditions the gastroenterologists specialize in, consultation dates and times, the languages they speak, and their gender.
You can read the verified past patients' ratings and reviews to get a firsthand opinion. Once satisfied with a specialist, you can book a virtual or in-person consultation.
Thanks to Zocdoc, locating the desired gastroenterologist near you is now easier! All Zocdoc bookings are fast, free, and secure!
The 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated report titled "Widespread person-to-person outbreaks of hepatitis A across the United States" published statistics on the number of hepatitis A outbreak cases in California. As of October 7, 2022, medical records indicated that approximately 708 individuals had received a hepatitis A virus diagnosis. Among them, nearly 66% of patients, roughly 464 people, required hospitalization for optimal management. The report further mentioned that 21 patients died due to various complications from the virus.
The 2022 American Cancer Society publishes yearly statistics on incidence and death rates from different cancers in all the states and territories of the US. According to this report, in California, in 2022, the incidence and death rate will be an estimated 151,030 cases vs. 52,580 deaths from colorectal cancer, 62,210 cases vs. 49,830 deaths of pancreatic cancer, 41,260 cases vs. 30,520 deaths from liver and intrahepatic duct cancer, and around 26,380 cases vs. 11,090 deaths from stomach cancer.
Furthermore, the numbers also included an estimated 20,640 cases vs. 16,410 deaths of esophageal cancer, 12,130 cases vs. 4,400 deaths from cancer of the gallbladder and other biliary ducts, and 11,790 cases vs. 1,960 deaths from small intestine cancer.
American College of Gastroenterology
WebMD[1]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Digestive Disease Specialists, Inc
Gastroenterology of the Rockies
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.