Roper St. Francis Healthcare expands its gastroenterology services

Roper St. Francis Healthcare is expanding its clinical scope to include gastroenterology services and enhance Lowcountry patients’ access to care for gastrointestinal disorders.

Drs. Rahul Shimpi and Andrew Wolf, both formerly of Duke University Medical Center, will lead Roper St. Francis Physician Partners Gastroenterology to help meet the system’s growing needs for inpatient GI consultation as well as outpatient management and ambulatory access.

“Not only will the addition of these highly skilled physicians help us stabilize the present need for GI care, but it will also help us address future clinical needs as we increase our footprint across the Tri-County area,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Physician Officer Dr. Chris McLain.

The expansion to include gastroenterology services will further augment the high-quality care provided by Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s cadre of well-respected, affiliated GI specialists, who serve our patients with the utmost care and compassion, Dr. McLain said.

Drs. Shimpi and Wolf are leaders in diagnosing and treating the full range of digestive disorders and bring with them a combined 40 years of experience providing expert GI care. Before joining Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Dr. Shimpi co-founded and co-directed the Esophageal Center at Duke University Medical Center. His experience lends itself to the diagnosis and treatment of common and complex digestive and GI conditions.

Dr. Wolf served as Duke University Medical Center’s gastroenterology fellowship program director and director of Duke Medical Pavilion Endoscopy Unit. As a passionate advocate for colon cancer screening and prevention, he worked with colleagues to establish national screening guidelines for hereditary colorectal syndromes. He has also published academic papers on colon cancer.

The two new physicians will work closely with Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s surgeons and medical specialists, expanding Roper St. Francis’ ability to address complex GI issues in the hospital.

“As we expand our clinical scope to include gastroenterology services and welcome Drs. Rahul Shimpi and Andrew Wolf to our team, we want to emphasize that this expansion is a testament to the success of our affiliated specialists,” Dr. McLain said. “It is an opportunity to enhance our collective capabilities and improve patient access to the outstanding care that has been synonymous with Roper St. Francis Healthcare.”