The new service brings dedicated care for a wide spectrum of gastroenterological (GI) conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatitis, ulcerative colitis, gallstones, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease. Providers see patients both in the hospital and the outpatient clinic, as well as perform colonoscopies and other endoscopic procedures.
Marshall Health’s team of board-certified, fellowship-trained gastroenterologists provide coverage at Rivers Health on a rotating basis. They include Ahmed Sherif, M.D., chief of gastroenterology and associate professor at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine; Wesam Frandah, M.D., program director of the Marshall gastroenterology fellowship program and associate professor; Maen Kamal, M.D., assistant professor; Pramod Pantangi, M.D., assistant professor; and Rahoma Saad, M.D., assistant professor.
Christa Simmons, APRN,FNP-BC, a board-certified nurse practitioner, joined Marshall Health earlier this year to bring her more than seven years of experience as a nurse practitioner to the Rivers Health location. She earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and her master’s degree in nursing from Walden University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Simmons staffs the outpatient clinic and sees patients in the hospital with the gastroenterologists.
“We are very pleased to offer gastroenterology services through our partnership with Rivers Health and Mountain Health Network,” Sherif said. “Patients will be able to obtain their general GI services in Point Pleasant, making access to care much easier for those who want to stay closer to home.”
The Marshall Health gastroenterology team is accepting new patients. For appointments and referrals, call Rivers Health at 304-675-4500.