What is Gastroenterology?
Gastroenterology is the medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis
and treatment of conditions and diseases which involve the various organs
that make up the digestive system: the esophagus, stomach, duodenum,
small intestine, colon, rectum, liver, gall bladder and pancreas. In Greek,
"gastrus" means stomach and "enteron" refers to the intestine; hence the
term Gastroenterology.
What is the role of the gastroenterologist?
We look for various things that may cause or contribute to a person's
symptoms or distress. External factors such as certain foods, medications
or alcohol can create symptoms, as can emotional factors such as anxiety,
depression, tension and stress. But our most important task is to find or
rule out disease.
What tools do Gastroenterologists use to diagnose illness?
Gastroenterologists have many ways of evaluating digestive problems:
physical examination, endoscopy, colonoscopy, x-ray, ultrasound, nuclear
and CAT-scanning, liver biopsy, and a variety of blood tests.
What problems do Gastroenterologists diagnose and treat?
Of the many diagnoses we deal with, some are simple problems such
as heartburn, swallowing difficulty, indigestion, abdominal pain, excessive
gas, and chronic diarrhea or constipation. Other diagnoses are more
chal-
lenging and risk complications, if not treated. These include gall stones,
ulcers, viral or medication-induced hepatitis (liver inflammation), cirrhosis
of the liver, pancreatitis, colitis, ileitis, diverticulitis, intestinal bleeding,
polyps and tumors.
What methods do Gastroenterologists use to treat illness?
Once a diagnosis is made, specific treatment can be planned. Often
this involves simple changes in diet or behavioral modification to reduce
anxiety. Other diagnoses might require the use of medications such as
antibiotics or acid blockers or anti-inflammatory agents. Some problems
can be corrected with endoscopy (from above) or colonoscopy (from be-
low) by cauterizing bleeding ulcers, removing obstructing gall stones,
lasering small tumors or taking out colon polyps (for prevention of
future colon cancer). Occasionally, the services of a surgical consultant
are required.
Endoscopy & Colonoscopy Suite locations.
Our doctors utilize three state of the art facilities to carry out
diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures:
Gastrointestinal Group Endoscopy Suite
1777 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 973-839-6400
Wayne Surgical Center
1176 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ
973-709-1900
Endoscopy Suite at Chilton Memorial Hospital
97 West Parkway, Pompton Plains, NJ
973-831-5115
The choice of location is based on each patient's health history
and insurance plan benefits. The services of a Board Certified
Anesthesiologist (M.D.) are used for administration of safe intra-
venous sedation
throughout the procedure.
About our doctors
Clifford A. Gordon, M.D. is a graduate of Rutgers University and
Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He finished an Internal
Medicine residency at the affiliate hospitals of the SUNY-Downstate
Medical School in Brooklyn, N.Y. followed by a National Institutes
of Health sponsored Gastroenterology Fellowship at the Columbia
College of Physicians and Surgeons/St. Luke's Hospital in New York
City. He has served as a Clinical Instructor in Gastroenterology at
St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center. Dr. Gordon is a member of the
Medical Society of New Jersey and the New Jersey Gastroenterology
and Endoscopy Society. He is a Charter Member of the American
Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and has published in the
field.
Robert D. Shlien, M.D. is a graduate of Cornell University and George
Washington University School of Medicine. He served an Internal
Medicine residency and Gastroenterology fellowship at the Mt. Sinai
Hospital in New York City and is currently a Clinical Instructor in
Medicine (Gastroenterology) at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Dr.
Shlien is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member
of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American
College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological As-
sociation. He is Board Certified in Gastroenterology and has published
numerous articles in the field.
Lisa D. Stevens, M.D. is a graduate of Brown University and Cornell
University Medical School. She obtained her Internal Medicine train-
ing at New York Hospital, followed by a year as Chief Resident at the
New York University Downtown Hospital. Dr. Stevens completed a
Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Montefiore Medical Center in New
York City. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Physicians
and holds memberships in the American Society for Gastrointestinal
Endoscopy, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American
Gastroenterological Association and the New York Society for Gastro-
intestinal Endoscopy. She is Board Certified in Gastroenterology and
has published in the field.
Our office hours
Our office staff is available each weekday Monday through Friday
from 9AM to NOON and 1PM to 5PM to make patient appointments,
arrange for diagnostic testing and answer billing or insurance questions.
Each of our doctors' schedules varies from day to day, and may include
office hours, hospital rounds, endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures,
or medical conferences.
After hours
When our office is closed, one of the doctors is always available for
emergency situations. By calling our "after hours" telephone number
(973) 839-1536 an emergency
operator can forward a message to the
on-call doctor. Routine questions or requests for prescription renewals
will be held for normal weekday business hours.
Insurance and managed care plan participation
We participate in many insurance and managed care plans including
Medicare, Horizon Blue Shield, PHCS, PHS, MagnaCare, US Healthcare
and Aetna. Since many plans have specific requirements, you should check
with your insurer to determine whether or not a Pre-authorization Referral
Form
must be obtained from your primary doctor
prior
to your visit. Be
aware that you may be required to pay a
Co-payment at the time of your
visit. You will also be responsible for any Deductible not covered by your
insurance provider.
Our doctors welcome patients covered by insurors with whom we do
not participate. We will work to minimize or abolish out of pocket expenses
for those with "out of network" benefits.
Directions to our office
From North of Wayne: Take Route 23 South to the Jackson Road jughandle
in Pompton Plains. Cross Route 23 and drive to the traffic light at the end.
Turn left onto Black Oak Ridge Road (Route 202 North)
and go to the next
traffic light. Turn right onto the Hamburg Turnpike. Drive 1/2 mile then,
immediately after next traffic light, turn right into our parking lot.
From South and West of Wayne: Take Route 23 North to the Jackson Road
exit in Pompton Plains. Exit right and drive to the traffic light at the end.
Turn left onto Black Oak Ridge Road (Route 202 North)
and go to the next
traffic light. Turn right onto the Hamburg Turnpike. Drive 1/2 mile then,
immediately after next traffic light, turn right into our parking lot.
From East of Wayne: Take Route 202 South to the Hamburg Turnpike in
Wayne by the CVS Pharmacy at the Pompton Falls. Turn left and drive
about one mile. Immediately after second traffic light, turn
right into our
parking lot.
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