Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition (GI)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program

The IBD Program at Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland currently cares for about 160 children in the Bay Area. We take a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, including physicians, two nurse practitioners, a nurse coordinator, a dietician, and a social worker in our IBD clinics. We have two half-day clinics in Oakland and a joint IBD clinic with our counterparts from UCSF in Pleasanton monthly. About sixty of our patients receive Infliximab in our Infusion Center/Day Hospital and are followed by our infusion nurse practitioners. The IBD team meets bimonthly for pre-visit planning and to discuss management issues. We actively participate in Improve Care Now, a network of medical care centers throughout the world using scientific data to drive improvements for children with IBD. We actively participate in the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, serving on its Chapter Medical Advisory Committee for Northern California.

Celiac Disease Program

The Celiac Disease Program at Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland cares for over 80 Bay Area children and families. The program has a dedicated physician, nurse coordinator, celiac nutritionist, and social worker. We coordinate care with the Nutrition team and work closely with the Endocrinology team as well. Joint monthly clinics are held for routine monitoring and dietary counseling. We participate with community organizations and promote active interaction with local physicians and caregivers to promote awareness of this disease.

Intestinal Rehabilitation Program

The Intestinal Rehabilitation Program provides comprehensive care for children with intestinal failure or related conditions. The team consists of dedicated physicians, a nurse practitioner, a specialized dietician, nurse coordinator, and social worker. We have outpatient clinic two half days a month. Care is coordinated in both inpatient and outpatient settings with a monthly meeting with the NICU team, pediatric surgeons, and with other hospital services such as physical and occupational therapy. We work closely with home care agencies that provide products and nursing care in the home setting.

California Children's Services (CCS) Care Facility

We provide subspecialty care for children with special healthcare needs for over 300 children in California. We provide comprehensive, family-centered, and coordinated care plan and treatment for each child with designated conditions with a physician, nurse practitioner, nutritionist, social worker and GI nurse. We have weekly clinics and work closely with home care agencies to provide products and nursing care in the home setting.

Liver Transplant Follow Up Clinic

We provide outpatient follow up care for children in pretransplant and posttransplant periods in a collaborative clinic with UCSF pediatric liver transplant hepatologists, nurse practitioners, and social workers every other month in a full day clinic.

Hepatology Clinic

Our hepatology clinic sees a variety of liver disease diagnosis in newborns, children, and teenagers. Diseases include biliary atresia, neonatal cholestasis, alpha 1 antitrypsin, autoimmune hepatitis, chronic viral hepatitis (hepatitis B and C), cryptogenic cirrhosis, drug-related liver disease, chronic liver disease, end-stage liver disease, metabolic liver disease, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. We provide evaluation, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment for these patients. We collaborate with local hepatology centers to provide appropriate care including active enrollment in clinical trials.

Fatty Liver Clinic

NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) is the number one cause of chronic liver disease in the United States in children and teens. The Fatty Liver Clinic at Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland provides comprehensive care for patients with suspected or established fatty liver disease. We provide evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for patients. There is a dedicated dietician to help counsel patients on healthy eating and physical activity. Emerging radiographic techniques using MRI technology are being utilized to improve diagnosis and disease monitoring in patients with this chronic condition. It is also important that patients with presumed fatty liver be thoroughly evaluated to rule out other etiologies causing abnormal liver tests.