JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The gastronomy clinic, located within Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, can provide patients timely screenings to detect gastro related illnesses, including cancer.
“We see gastroenterology patients that have symptoms mainly dealing with liver, lower GI or upper GI,” said Lt. Col. Charles Miller, 59th Medical Specialty Squadron’s chief of gastroenterology. “We also do a lot of colon cancer screening and polyp surveillance.”
The clinic’s staffing provided trusted care to approximately 2,500 people annually, which adds up to roughly 30 to 40 appointments a day.
Occasionally, a patient may need to have a scoping, enabling the doctor to better understand their condition. This long narrow camera is inserted via the esophagus or rectum, giving the doctor a camera view from inside the body.
“Colon cancer is the number two cancer killer in men and women, so it’s extremely important that people come and be screened,” Miller said. “It’s a nationwide goal to have at least 80 percent of people screened, and we want to have every Tricare beneficiary be able to be screened by the time they’re 50 years old, or if they’re showing symptoms.”
The clinic is located on the second floor of the A-Wing inside of WHASC, and appointments can be scheduled by calling 210-916-9900.
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