L to R: Vikas N. Chitnavis, M.D.; Robert D. Moylan, M.D.; Kevin B. Mercure, M.D.; and M. Jonathan Bern, M.D.
Local Gastroenterologists Join Carilion
By Jay Conley
Four gastroenterologists who had practiced together in Salem have joined Carilion Clinic. The doctors, who had practiced at Valley Gastroenterology of Southwest Virginia and at LewisGale Medical Center, are Robert D. Moylan, M.D., Ph.D., M. Jonathan Bern, M.D., Vikas N. Chitnavis, M.D., and Kevin B. Mercure, M.D. They will serve in dual roles—as specialists treating a range of digestive disorders and as faculty members of a new fellowship program in gastroenterology. “Carilion’s expanding role as a medical center and teaching facility makes this an excellent choice for us,” says Dr. Moylan, who will also serve as the fellowship program’s associate director. Each of his three former partners has been a clinical instructor or lecturer at other medical institutions, he added. The three-year fellowship program will include collaborative work with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and with Virginia Tech scientists, offering opportunities for basic and applied clinical research. One area of study will be inflammatory diseases of the gastroenterology tract.
signed to meet demand. “There’s a large demand for gastroenterology services in the Roanoke Valley,” says Paul Yeaton, M.D., chief of the practice and director of the fellowship program. Patients in the region seek help for heartburn, acid reflux, ulcers, and other common digestive problems, along with specialized treatment for pancreatic cancer and inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn’s disease. There is also a strong demand for colonoscopies for early detection and prevention of colon cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. Other physicians in Carilion’s gastroenterology practice in Roanoke are Alan Brijbassie, M.D., Sujala Chirla, M.D., Marrieth Rubio, M.D., and Dario Sorrentino, M.D. (see story on page 12). Christine K. Davidson serves as nurse practitioner. The practice is located at 3 Riverside Circle. Carilion also has four gastroenterologists in the New River Valley as well as the region’s only pediatric gastroenterology practice.
A Demand for Services The addition of the new doctors almost doubles the size of Carilion’s gastroenterology practice in Roanoke and is de-
For more information, call 540-266-6000 or 800-422-8482. To watch a video on colon cancer detection and prevention, go to bit.ly/ccliving-coloncancer. CarilionClinic.org | FALL 2013
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