Healthcare Administration
Policy Analysis
Strategic Planning
Healthcare Workforce
Healthcare Operations
Behind the Clinical Trials for Non-Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease that Can Benefit 30% of Americans
The Impact Research Institute (IRI) is Waco, Texas’ resource for extending care options for NAFLD (non-alcohol fatty liver disease.) Nadege Gunn is IRI’s Medical Director and President. She joined Kevin Stevenson on I Don’t Care to discuss her and her team’s mission to treat NAFLD and other related diseases and conditions.
Dr. Gunn is a Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist whose main passion is the liver. “The liver is an amazing organ,” Dr. Gunn said. “It’s the only organ in the body that you could cut in half, and it can grow back in full size in about three months. The work we do in transplantation and replacing the liver is quite amazing, so that’s why I chose the field in general.”
Dr. Gunn helped open IRI in July of 2021. Necessity created the decision to develop the center. While practicing clinical trials in Austin, Texas, Dr. Gunn saw many patients traveling from the Waco area to receive treatment options for NAFLD. With no scan or clinical trial options available to people in Waco and the surrounding area, Dr. Gunn recognized an opportunity to open a clinic to serve the growing needs.
Community outreach is critical to the clinic’s role in Waco, TX. When they identify candidates who may have NAFLD, they do a non-invasive scan at the center to determine if the candidate does have the disease. “If they do, then we invite them to maybe participate in a clinical trial because there are no treatments for fatty liver,” Dr. Gunn said.
For people wondering if they might have NAFLD, Dr. Gunn said the disease is often asymptomatic in the early stages. “It is when the disease is progressing, when it is starting to injure and harm the liver, that people might start firstly feeling fatigued,” Dr. Gunn said. “They might feel pain in the right upper quadrant of their abdomen and their belly.” Recognizing these warning signs and seeking a diagnosis is critical before full-on cirrhosis of the liver occurs.
More Like This Story:
Providing Real-Time Feedback for Virtual Health
Tearing Down the Barrier of Prior Authorization Through Automation
Recent Posts
In recent years, the obesity epidemic in the United States has reached alarming proportions, with more than 42% of American adults considered obese. This surge in obesity rates has sparked a significant conversation about the role of health plans in covering new weight loss drugs. As healthcare costs continue to rise, the question of […]
In the complex world of healthcare, physicians often find themselves at the crossroads of medicine and business, grappling with the dual challenges of financial management and patient satisfaction. Dr. David Norris, with his unique blend of clinical and business expertise, shares his insights on financial management for physicians in the latest episode of I […]
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, healthcare data is becoming increasingly vital. However, navigating the complexities of HIPAA compliance and data privacy in healthcare poses a significant challenge for medical and technology professionals. In this context, Shubh Sinha, CEO of Integral, is leading the charge in transforming how sensitive data is handled, ensuring both […]