To address the growing need for a multi-disciplinary approach to inflammatory bowel disease management in southern New Jersey, the Cooper Digestive Health Institute has opened the Cooper Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center. The new program will be under the leadership of Cooper gastroenterologists Andrew R. Conn, MD, and Thomas A. Judge, MD, and will be the only dedicated inflammatory bowel disease center in southern New Jersey.
“Inflammatory bowel disease can have an overwhelming impact on a patient’s quality of life,” says Dr. Conn. “Many physicians are unfamiliar with the multi-factorial complexities and treatments of this patient population. Management of these patients has become a sub-specialty within the field of gastroenterology.”
The Cooper Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center will offer a multidisciplinary approach to the management of Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, including consultation with such disciplines as: gastroenterology, surgery, pathology, radiology, infectious disease, rheumatology, nutrition and psycho-social services. Collaboration will also occur with obstetrics and gynecology because of the impact of IBD on fertility, pregnancy and post-partum care.
Immunosuppressant therapy is one of the complex issues that arise in IBD management. Standardizing vaccination status prior to starting immunosuppressant therapy and following specific laboratory studies with certain medical regimens, are just two of the care components that must be monitored. The goal of the Cooper Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center is to provide these patients with accurate diagnosis and comprehensive care coordination.
Disease management will include routine surveillance, biological therapies, and life-style modification. Standardized quality criteria have been developed and a registry to track outcomes is being established.
Patients will be seen in consultation at the Cooper Digestive Health Institute in Mount Laurel.