Digestive Health Specialists

What Digestive Health Specialists does

Digestive Health Specialists, P.A. is a private, physician-owned gastroenterology medical practice headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, operating continuously since 1978. The practice staffs 15 board-certified gastroenterologists and 10 board-certified advanced practice providers, with subspecialty depth spanning IBD, hepatology (including transplant hepatology), advanced endoscopy (EUS/ERCP), obesity medicine, and clinical nutrition. It serves adult patients across the Winston-Salem metropolitan area from five clinic locations (Winston-Salem, Kernersville, King, Tanglewood/Advance, and Thomasville), with hospital affiliation to Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center for complex procedures.

The practice delivers a full gastroenterology service stack: diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, flex sigmoidoscopy, EUS, ERCP, capsule endoscopy with PillCam SB, liver biopsy, PEG feeding tubes, esophageal dilation), an in-house infusion center for biologic therapy of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and rheumatoid arthritis, an in-house pathology laboratory (since 2018) led by a board-certified GI pathologist, in-office hemorrhoid banding via the CRH O'Regan system, and telehealth for remote consultations. Patient acquisition is referral-led (physician referrals plus self-referral) with a dedicated referring-physician portal, supplemented by content marketing, online reviews, and a women's-care team with seven female providers targeting gender-specific GI conditions.

Revenue is generated through professional services billing (insurance-based claims, co-pays, deductibles) and ancillary service lines (infusion, pathology, procedures); the practice accepts most insurance plans, offers CareCredit financing, and provides financial assistance. The practice is privately held by its physician partners with no disclosed external capital, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. Recognition includes the 2024 NCMGMA Practice of the Year award and a 2023 Novant Health Foundation Guardian Angel Award for Dr. David Ramsay.

Name

Digestive Health Specialists

Legal name

Digestive Health Specialists, P.A.

Website

https://digestivehealth.ws

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Digestive Health Specialists is a private, physician-owned gastroenterology practice in Winston-Salem, NC, operating since 1978 with 15 physicians and 10 APPs across five locations, providing diagnostic, therapeutic, and advanced endoscopic GI care, infusion therapy, in-house pathology, and telehealth to adult patients in the Winston-Salem metro.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gastroenterology Services

NAICS

Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners (621399), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

General Gastroenterology (HLAKAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Endoscopy & GI Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAG), Endoscopy & GI Procedure Centers (HLAFAIAE), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Care (HLAKAEAD), Digestive Oncology (GI Cancer Care) (HLAKAEAF)

Keywords

• Gastroenterology services
• Colonoscopy screening
• Endoscopic procedures
• Digestive health care
• Liver disease treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Clinical Office Visits: Revenue from patient consultations, follow-up visits, and telehealth appointments. Co-pays collected at time of service, with insurance billing for covered visits.
2. Endoscopic Procedures: Revenue from diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, flex sigmoidoscopy, EUS, ERCP, esophageal dilation, and liver biopsy. Procedures performed at clinic or hospital settings.
3. Infusion Therapy: Revenue from infusion treatments for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions requiring IV medications. Treatment times range from 45 minutes to 3 hours. Most infusions require insurance pre-authorization.
4. Pathology Services: In-house pathology laboratory providing examination and diagnosis of biopsy specimens and polyps. Staffed by board-certified pathologist and certified histologists specializing in GI pathology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Digestive Health Specialists is a gastroenterology medical practice that diagnoses and treats digestive diseases and prevents colon cancer. The practice delivers comprehensive GI care across five clinic locations including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, flex sigmoidoscopy, EUS, ERCP, capsule endoscopy, liver biopsy, esophageal dilation, hemorrhoid banding), an in-house infusion center for biologic therapies, an in-house pathology laboratory, and telehealth services.

Product overview

Digestive Health Specialists is a gastroenterology medical practice offering a comprehensive portfolio of diagnostic and therapeutic gastrointestinal procedures and clinical services. The practice operates five locations in North Carolina and provides colonoscopies, upper GI endoscopy, and advanced procedures such as EUS and ERCP. Additional services include an Infusion Center for biologic therapies, an in-house Pathology Laboratory staffed by a Board-Certified Pathologist, and Telehealth options for remote patient consultations. The practice treats a wide range of conditions including GERD, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis, and features a Women's Care Team specializing in gender-specific gastrointestinal concerns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Colonoscopy A diagnostic procedure in which the doctor examines the lining of the colon for abnormalities by inserting a flexible tube through the anus and rectum; used for screening, diagnosis, and prevention of colorectal cancer.
• Upper GI Endoscopy Examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract including the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum using a thin, flexible endoscope for diagnosis and treatment of upper GI conditions.
• Flex Sigmoidoscopy Examination of the lining of the rectum and a portion of the colon using a flexible tube inserted through the anus for evaluation of lower GI symptoms.
• Liver Biopsy A procedure to obtain a small piece of tissue from the liver for examination under a microscope to determine if liver disease is present.
• PEG Feeding Tubes Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy procedure placing a flexible feeding tube through the abdominal wall into the stomach for direct nutrition, fluids, or medications.
• EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasonography) An examination combining endoscopy and ultrasound to evaluate the lining and walls of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract and adjacent organs.
• ERCP Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a specialized technique to study the ducts of the gallbladder, pancreas, and liver using contrast material and X-rays.
• Internal Hemorrhoid Removal Hemorrhoid banding using the CRH O'Regan Hemorrhoid Removal System, a ligation procedure performed in a doctor's office with minimal discomfort and same-day return to work.
• Capsule Endoscopy Examination of the entire small intestine using a vitamin-pill-sized video capsule with its own camera and light source that transmits images to a data recorder during an 8-hour exam.
• Esophageal Dilation A procedure to dilate or stretch a narrowed area of the esophagus using balloon or plastic dilators over a guiding wire.
• Infusion Center In-house infusion therapy facility offering treatments for Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and other conditions requiring IV medications; treatment times 45 minutes to 3 hours.
• Pathology Laboratory In-house pathology laboratory staffed by a Board-Certified Pathologist and certified histologists specializing in digestive diseases for examination and diagnosis of biopsies and polyps.
• Telehealth Remote healthcare services including video visits and telephonic visits for patient care, advice, education, and monitoring through long-distance technology.
• Gastroenterology Consultations Medical consultations for digestive health conditions including acid reflux, colorectal cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and other gastrointestinal disorders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dr. David Ramsay received Guardian Angel Award from Novant Health Foundation recognizing compassionate care
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• One Medical (Amazon): Tech-enabled membership-based primary and specialty care platform with growing GI offerings and integrated digital experience. Represents the technology-forward, consumer-experience-led end of ambulatory care that DHS may need to compete with for younger, digitally native patient cohorts over time.

Broad incumbents

• United Digestive: PE-backed gastroenterology platform operating numerous independent GI practices across the Southeast, with consolidated revenue cycle, payer contracting, and clinical operations. Directly comparable as a regional roll-up acquirer of independent practices in the same geography.
• GI Alliance: The largest physician-led gastroenterology services network in the US, with hundreds of physicians across multiple states, formed via private-equity-backed roll-up of independent practices. Represents the platform-scale end of the GI specialty market and a likely acquirer or partner for mid-sized groups like Digestive Health Specialists.
• Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist - Digestive Health: Academic health system with a large gastroenterology and hepatology division in Winston-Salem providing tertiary GI services, clinical trials, and advanced endoscopy. The dominant local competitor and system-affiliated alternative that could pressure DHS's referral base and physician recruitment.
• Duke Gastroenterology: Academic gastroenterology division at Duke University Hospital with subspecialty expertise in IBD, hepatology, motility, and advanced endoscopy. Several DHS physicians (Gillespie, Wawrzynski) trained at Duke, making it both a training pipeline and a tertiary referral competitor for complex cases in the Triad region.
• Novant Health Gastroenterology: Hospital-system-affiliated gastroenterology services including a hospitalist role (currently held by Dr. Gonzalez) and outpatient GI care. The most direct local institutional competitor and partner, with overlapping physician relationships in the Winston-Salem market.

Direct peers

• Raleigh Gastroenterology: Independent GI specialty practice in Raleigh, NC with multiple physicians and locations offering comprehensive digestive disease care, endoscopy, and infusion. Directly comparable independent regional GI practice in North Carolina with similar service model and physician-owned structure.
• Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology: Large independent gastroenterology specialty practice in the Charlotte, NC metro with multi-physician, multi-site operations offering colonoscopy, endoscopy, infusion, and hepatology services. Highly comparable independent specialty group in the same state with similar service mix and referral-based model.
• Carolina Digestive Health Associates: Independent gastroenterology practice serving the Charlotte and surrounding North Carolina region with multiple board-certified GI physicians, endoscopy centers, and infusion services. Same independent specialty practice model in the same state with overlapping service lines and patient demographics.
• Asheville Gastroenterology Associates: Independent gastroenterology practice in western North Carolina with multiple physicians, endoscopy center, and hepatology services. Comparable mid-sized North Carolina independent GI practice with similar operating model and patient demographic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Digestive_WS
• Facebookfacebook.com/DigestivehealthWS

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digestive Health Specialists