Jason Samarasena, MD, professor of medicine and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at UCI Health, reflects on more than two decades of service at UCI Health and the rapid transformation of modern GI practice.
Now leading a division spanning advanced endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatology and motility, Samarasena discusses recruiting world-class faculty, expanding clinical trials and building a culture that empowers physicians to pursue their strengths, whether in program development, research, or innovation.
The conversation highlights breakthrough technologies including the first drug-coated balloon for complex esophageal strictures, next-generation robotic colonoscopy platforms and artificial intelligence systems designed to detect and characterize polyps, identify dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus and automate endoscopy reporting. Samarasena also shares insights from co-founding an AI company focused on computer vision in GI and discusses how digital health agents may transform patient preparation, multilingual communication, and workflow efficiency.
The episode concludes with a preview of the upcoming UCI Health Digestive Health Summit, a two-day educational and hands-on training event showcasing multidisciplinary collaboration across surgery and gastroenterology, along with a leadership and empowerment track addressing physician wellness, innovation, and the evolving business of healthcare.
Topics Discussed:
•Balancing clinical care, research and training
•Clinical trials in IBS and advanced GI therapeutics
•Robotic colonoscope platform development
•Ergonomics and physician longevity in endoscopy
•Drug-coated balloon for esophageal strictures (Paclitaxel)
•AI computer vision in colonoscopy
•Dysplasia detection in Barrett’s esophagus
•Automating endoscopy reports with AI
•AI health agents for bowel prep and multilingual patient communication
•Chao Digestive Health Institute (CDHI) collaborative model
•Digestive Health Summit and hands-on endoscopy labs
Connect with UCI Health physicians online at clinicalconnection.ucihealth.org, on LinkedIn @UCI Health Physicians, on Instagram @ucihealthphysicians, or at @uciphysicians on X.
Refer a patient at referralportal.ucihealth.org and learn more about ongoing clinical trials at ucihealth.org/clinical-trials.
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