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Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Care
Team-based, holistic care for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
Comprehensive IBD Care
At the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), patients receive care from a team of IBD experts who work together to treat the whole person. The team includes gastroenterologists, surgeons, dietitians, radiologists, behavioral health specialists, nurses, and advanced practice providers.
The team takes time to understand how Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis affects daily life. Care plans are personalized to symptoms, goals and lifestyle and are guided by the latest research, much of it done right here at BIDMC. Patients have access to advanced treatments and clinical studies to help them feel their best.
Whether you are newly diagnosed or have been living with IBD for years, our compassionate team is here to help you manage your condition and improve your quality of life.
Conditions We Treat
Our gastroenterology experts specialize in treating patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, including:
- Crohn’s disease
- Indeterminate colitis
- Microscopic (collagenous and lymphocytic) colitis
- Pouchitis
- Ulcerative colitis
If you need a referral to any of these specialties outside of our center, please ask your provider at your appointment and we will be happy to make a recommendation.
Our Approach to IBD Treatment
At the Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, we’re committed to improving care for people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis through ongoing clinical research and innovation. Our team actively studies new approaches to IBD treatment, helping to expand care options and improve outcomes for patients.
Treat Early
The more time your IBD is left untreated, the more damage the disease can cause. Our goal is to diagnose your condition and begin effective treatment as early as possible, when your body will respond best to medical therapy.
Treat Better and Deeper
Our goal is simple: to help you get better and stay better.
At BIDMC, our focus is on relieving your symptoms while also healing inflammation inside your digestive tract. This deeper level of recovery, known as endoscopic healing, is linked to better long-term outcomes. Research from BIDMC and other leading IBD centers shows that achieving endoscopic healing can help reduce flare-ups, hospital stays, surgeries and cancer risk while improving your overall quality of life.
BIDMC specialists use advanced treatments, precise diagnostic tools and comprehensive support to help patients reach and maintain remission, while also contributing to research that continues to advance IBD care.
Treat More Effectively
Researchers at BIDMC led the creation of a treatment approach that has improved care for people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis around the world. This approach, called proactive therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), was developed at BIDMC and is now widely used for patients receiving certain biologic medications. It has also helped shape care in other areas of medicine, including dermatology and rheumatology.
Proactive TDM means regularly checking medication levels and adjusting treatment when needed. This helps medications work better and lowers the risk of side effects. BIDMC specialists use this information, along with a patient’s health history, age and personal goals, to personalize treatment and support long-term disease control and quality of life.
More About Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Care
Our Team of IBD Specialists
We use a team approach to diagnose your condition, customize your treatment plan and ensure you reach the best possible outcome. Our team of specialists is specifically trained in IBD and includes:
- Gastroenterologists specializing in IBD
- IBD advanced practice providers (NPs)
- Colorectal surgeons
- Mental health counselors
- Nurses with specialization in IBD, infusion services, and ostomy care
- Nutritionists
- Pharmacists
- Endoscopy experts
- Diagnostic experts, including radiologists and pathologists
- Dermatologists
- Rheumatologists
- Hepatologists (liver care)
- OB/GYN and maternal-fetal medicine experts
Behavioral Health Support
Living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis can be both physically and emotionally challenging. Stress, anxiety and fatigue can make IBD symptoms worse, and it can be hard to talk about things like urgency, abdominal pain or worries about the future.
The Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease offers care that supports both the body and mind. Our behavioral health team includes licensed psychologists and mental health specialists who work only with people living with IBD.
Through short-term therapy, usually five to seven sessions, patients learn practical tools to manage stress, reduce anxiety and cope better every day. Sessions last 45–60 minutes and focus on well-being and quality of life—no mental health diagnosis is needed.
If this kind of support could help, ask your IBD doctor about a referral to our behavioral health team.
Specialized Arthritis Care
Many people with IBD also have joint pain or inflammatory arthritis, which can make treatment and daily life harder. Our specialized program, called Joint IBD, provides expert, coordinated care for people managing both conditions.
Based at our Chestnut Hill location, our Joint IBD program is led by Dr. Loren Rabinowitz and Dr. Hannah Gendelman. By bringing together specialists in gastroenterology and rheumatology, we deliver integrated, patient-centered treatment in one clinic.
We offer advanced diagnostic tools and the latest therapies to help reduce pain, manage inflammation, and improve long-term outcomes for patients with arthritis and Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. By working together across specialties, our team helps patients get the right care and medications faster, making treatment safer and improving overall quality of care.
If you are interested in an appointment, please ask a member of your IBD care team, who will help you get scheduled.
Meet the Team
Our Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease team provides expert care for IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Additional Services
Our team coordinates your care with other specialty providers throughout our medical center. This ensures you receive comprehensive, streamlined care.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
The Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, part of the Department of Medicine, offers world-class patient care, research programs, and education and training opportunities.
