Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2018

By Andrea Nagel Since joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network in 2014, Kootenai Health providers have had access to Mayo Clinic’s knowledge and expertise, including resources such as eBoards for collaboration on patient care. This forum for advice and discussion with multidisciplinary specialists helps providers find answers to complex medical questions and helps their patients avoid unnecessary travel for diagnosis and treatment. In addition to five other eBoards— breast, colorectal, genitourinary, lung and lymphoma—Mayo Clinic offers its inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) eBoard to network members. “It’s great to be able to tap into this resource when you have a case that’s particularly complex,” said David Johnson, M.D., Kootenai Clinic Gastroenterology. “The cases presented to these boards are those that GI clinicians experienced in treating IBD find challenging. Presenting physicians create a presentation about the case and submit their questions and concerns, along with a patient history summary, procedure reports, radiology images, and pathology samples. The case is reviewed by some of the country’s leading experts and discussed during the eBoard.” Dr. Johnson, who completed his residency and fellowship at Mayo Clinic, said the IBD eBoard typically consists of multiple gastroenterologists who specialize in IBD, colorectal surgeons, gastrointestinal (GI) pathologists and GI radiologists, as well as trainees in those specialties currently at Mayo Clinic. Collectively, these providers lend their views and expertise to help collaborate on recommendations and options for a diagnosis or treatment plan. Agreat advantage “There is no cookbook recipe for IBD treatment—each case is unique to the individual,” Dr. Johnson said. IBD encompasses ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and indeterminate inflammatory colitis. All are autoimmune diseases where the patient’s body attacks the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause diarrhea, pain, fatigue or weight loss. IBD can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications if left untreated. “Having the ability to maintain a Additional Expertise at No Extra Cost Mayo Clinic eBoards offer peace of mind for patients with inflammatory bowel disease connection with a world-class IBD center without the financial and logistical cost to my patients is a great advantage,” Dr. Johnson said. “Being able to participate in these boards is also a great educational opportunity for us as providers. It allows us to hear about new treatments, medications and some of the most complex cases in the country. I get to continue to learn and grow as a provider, and my patient is able to receive the quality care they need at home. It’s a win-win for us both.” Connect to quality care To learn more about the Mayo Clinic Care Network, visit KH.org/mayo . To learn more about Kootenai Clinic Gastroenterology or to schedule an appointment, call (208) 625-4595 . David Johnson, M.D. KH . ORG 17