Burlington, Vt. – A growing multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, surgeons, specialists, pharmacists, nurses and a psychologist is expanding local access to treatment and condition management services for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in Vermont and northern New York.

Led by IBD specialist and gastroenterologist Shruti Khurana, MD, the IBD Clinic at University of Vermont Health – UVM Medical Center offers leading-edge surgical services, treatment and condition management strategies for patients with conditions including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and pouch-related conditions such as pouchitis, a gastrointestinal condition that causes symptoms like diarrhea, bloody bowel movements, abdominal cramping, urgency and fatigue.

Dr. Khurana, who recently joined the hospital’s medical staff, also provides specialty services like dye-based chromoendoscopy — a specialized endoscopic technique that improves clinicians’ ability to identify cancerous spots in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. The technique is particularly impactful for high-risk patients with long-term inflammatory bowel disease.

“IBD doesn’t just affect the gut, it affects birthdays, workdays, and quiet evenings. When symptoms flare, everyday joys can feel out of reach. Our goal is to help the patients get those everyday moments back,” said Dr. Khurana. “Most also face an elevated risk for colon cancer. Our goal is to coordinate specialized care close to home by combining advanced endoscopy, optimized medical therapy, and ongoing support so patients spend less time traveling and more time living their lives.”

Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Care

The team brings together gastroenterology clinicians, a specialty pharmacist, and colorectal surgeons who plan treatment and follow-up together. The clinic works closely with primary care, emergency medicine, and pediatric gastroenterology so referrals, triage, and when clinically necessary rapid-access pathways feel smooth and predictable. Patients can also be connected by referral to nutrition/dietitian services, social work, and behavioral health within the health system.

“Whole-person care matters. We address nutrition and mental health because anxiety, stress, and diet questions are among the top patient concerns. We’ll meet you where you are and build a plan that fits your life. Our job is to make care feel doable,” said Dr. Khurana. “Keeping care local matters. We coordinate testing, procedures, and follow-up within the health system so most care stays near home. Less travel means more energy for living.”

Technology, Medications and Clinical Advances

The program also uses telehealth technology to help patients connect with local care and management services, and reduce or eliminate the need to travel, as well as partnering with pharmaceutical companies to get patients access to new medications and clinical trials.

“Access to research and clinical trials matters to many. We discuss when a study might help and when standard care is the better fit,” said Dr. Khurana. “Vermonters deserve the highest standard of IBD care - timely, coordinated, and right here at home.”

University of Vermont Health – UVM Medical Center
111 Colchester Avenue
Burlington, VT 05401

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About University of Vermont Medical Center

University of Vermont Health – UVM Medical Center is a 499-bed tertiary care regional referral center and Level I Trauma Center, providing advanced, specialized care to more than 1 million residents across Vermont and northern New York. Home to University of Vermont Cancer Center and University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, we serve as both a high-acuity referral hospital and a community hospital for approximately 150,000 residents in Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. As part of a rural academic health system, we are driving innovation in rural health care delivery, education and research in close partnership with The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Vermont. Together, we are tackling health care’s toughest challenges while strengthening our communities — addressing critical needs that impact access, affordability and health outcomes.

About University of Vermont Health

University of Vermont Health is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.