St. Francis Hospital will hold a grand opening ceremony for the new Center for Digestive Disorders at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12, at the new center (located on the second floor of the Medical Office Building). 
 

     Physicians of the new St. Francis Center for Digestive Disorders, including Dr. Mark Fortson, Dr. Benjamin Pike, Dr. Richard Robbins and Dr. Chad Sisk, will treat abdominal pain, liver disease, rectal bleeding, diarrhea and gallstones and perform screening colonoscopies to help prevent the development of colon cancer. They will treat other conditions, too, such as diverticulosis, esophageal reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers. The new center will provide more comprehensive gastroenterological care coverage for residents of Columbus and the surrounding area. 
 

     The St. Francis Center for Digestive Disorders will feature:

• A new state-of-the-art endoscopy unit that will improve patient flow by adding 10 new pre- and post-op areas and an addition procedure room.

• Streaming video, which will enable physicians and radiologists to discuss cases while patients are in the unit.

• Propofol anesthesia for endoscopy procedures, which offers pain-free endoscopy with rapid recovery and almost no post-anesthesia side effects.