Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program
Part of Digestive Health Center
Leaders in IBD Treatment
Our world-class doctors are passionate about taking care of people with IBD. We provide expert IBD care in a unique, multi-specialty Digestive Health Center, with the goal of bringing about disease remission. We offer leading-edge treatment options based on the latest research, while continuing to explore new trial therapies, to help you lead a full, active life.
420 Broadway Street
Pavilion D, 2nd Floor
Redwood City,
CA
94063
Phone: 650-736-5555
What We Offer You for IBD Care
- Specialized expertise for all forms of IBD, including complex forms of Crohn's disease, ulcerative, microscopic and collagenous colitis, and pouchitis. We also treat conditions that can accompany IBD and complications from longstanding disease. Go to Conditions Treated
- Advanced treatment options that may include combination treatment plans encompassing the latest medical treatments, nutritional optimization, endoscopic therapies, and minimally invasive surgeries to improve your quality of life. Go to Treatments
- Team-based approach that combines the expertise of IBD gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, pharmacists, and other specialists to tailor care to your needs. Go to Your Care Team
- Clinical trials for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis from one of the strongest IBD research programs in the U.S. Go to Clinical Trials
- Comprehensive support services such as reproductive health and family planning for people with IBD, psychological support, transition from pediatric IBD care, and nutritional guidance. Go to Support Services
- Easy Access to care at our Redwood City location, where you can get comprehensive treatment and see multiple specialists during the same day to address other common conditions associated with IBD. Go to Accessing Care
Our dedicated, multi-disciplinary team of expert IBD gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons offers complete care for all forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a group of conditions that cause inflammation and swelling in your digestive tract.
We have a passion for delivering personalized care with the latest treatment options. We will work together with you in the goal of getting your IBD into remission, so you can lead the life you are meant to.
We also treat complications from IBD with advanced endoscopic and/or specialized surgical approaches including procedures like endoscopic resection ileal J-pouch surgery, stricturoplasty, and fistula repair.
Our doctors work closely with the gastroenterologists at Stanford Children's Health to help transition pediatric patients into adult care.
No matter the complexity of your IBD, our team of experts are committed to work together with you to create a comprehensive treatment plan to address your condition and provide you relief from your symptoms, no matter how frequently you need care.
IBD Conditions
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Crohn’s disease
- C. difficile or other intestinal infections
- Pouchitis
- Medically refractory IBD
- Ileal J-pouch surgery and revision
- Intestinal Strictures
- Fistulotomy
- Stricturoplasty
Related Conditions
Many people with IBD also have additional autoimmune diseases or other health considerations. Our gastroenterologists work with other Stanford specialists to provide coordinated support and healing for these conditions. For example, we coordinate with maternal and fetal specialists to help optimize fertility and pregnancy outcomes and offer additional expertise in meeting the specific need of our elderly patients.
Services we partner with include:
We specialize in diagnosing and treating all forms of IBD including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and microscopic colitis. The field of IBD is rapidly advancing with exciting new options for therapy. Our doctors combine word-class expertise with the latest research to personalize your IBD care plan with leading-edge treatments. For complex cases, the team meets to pool their expertise and discuss the best treatment approaches for you.
Our doctors are also actively involved in IBD research and use what they discover to improve your treatment options. With our ongoing research, you may have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials, advancing our knowledge of IBD and piloting new therapies.
We are looking closely into the gut microbiome and researching how to reduce inflammation through nutritional therapy.
INNOVATION HIGHLIGHTS
- Our scientists are exploring groundbreaking new treatments for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These treatments range from nutritional and microbial approaches to medications that work through novel mechanisms.
- We are actively advancing the science of endoscopic treatments for Crohn’s disease and colitis. Our doctors pioneered many of the treatments used today, including digestive tract reconstruction, and continue to develop new devices and techniques.
Advanced Diagnostics
Our experts use sophisticated tests, imaging, and endoscopic procedures to identify inflammatory bowel disease and determine its type and severity. We may also use these tools to monitor you during treatment.
Laboratory tests
- Biomarkers of inflammation
- Therapeutic drug monitoring
- Micronutrient assessment
Imaging
Endoscopic Procedures
We use the most advanced technology available to perform more than 1,000 endoscopic procedures each year at our Endoscopy Suite in Redwood City.
- Chromoendoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Double balloon enteroscopy
- Endoscopic mucosal resection
- Endoscopic mucosal dissection
- Fecal microbial transplant
- Small bowel endoscopy
- Upper GI endoscopy
All Treatments
Our gastroenterologists and other digestive health specialists meet weekly to review the most complicated cases. From advanced IBD drug therapies to minimally invasive colorectal surgery, our experts work together to select and plan the most effective treatment for you, to control your symptoms, give relief, and improve your quality of life. The right combination of therapies can lower your risk of complications and your need for future surgery.
Nutrition Therapy
IBD is not caused by your food choices. But symptoms may worsen with certain foods, including those high in fiber or spicy. The registered dietitians at our GI Nutrition Services program work with you to create a customized, sustainable diet. We are the only program on the West Coast with a dedicated team of specialists who solely focus on treating and studying IBD.
Medication
If you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, your gastroenterologist will likely prescribe medication to help heal your digestive tract. You may need one drug or a combination to treat your symptoms and achieve remission. Medication for IBD may include:
- Infusion services, administered through our Redwood City clinic location, as well as through partnerships at infusion centers throughout the community, to optimize your care and treatment.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids and aminosalicylates. These medications fight inflammation to heal the intestines.
- Immunomodulators, which alter the immune response that leads to inflammation within the digestive tract
- Biologic therapies, which specifically target parts of the immune system to bring about healing
- Antibiotics to fight infection
- Nutritional supplements to provide vitamins and minerals your intestines are not absorbing or that you’re missing because you need to avoid certain foods
Pain Management
Most of the time pain and fatigue resolve with the successful treatment of the inflammation of IBD. When needed, we partner closely with the Gastrointestinal (GI) Pain Clinic to provide safe relief for ongoing pain in IBD.
Surgery
For some people with IBD, medication and diet are most successful when combined with a surgical treatment. In those cases, your doctor may discuss surgical options. We use the most advanced, minimally invasive techniques, including laparoscopic surgery. Our doctors make a small incision instead of a large one, minimizing pain and discomfort while promoting faster healing. IBD surgical treatments include:
Clinical Trials
We offer a robust clinical trial program for IBD. These research studies evaluate new medical approaches, drugs, and other treatments. In addition, you have the opportunity to join hundreds of other patients taking part in the Stanford IBD Registry, a powerful approach to help forward our understanding of the causes, differences among patients, and responses to therapies in people with IBD.
As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials. Open trials refer to studies currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
Your Care Team
Our gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons collaborate with pharmacists, IBD nurses, registered dietitians, and other health care providers to develop and implement the most effective care plan for you. Because our digestive health services are centralized at our Redwood City location, you can often see multiple specialists during the same visit.
Your Doctors
Gastroenterologists
Our gastroenterologists have specialized expertise in diagnosing and managing IBD. They also have extensive training and experience managing a variety of conditions, that impact the digestive tract.
View All {0} GastroenterologistsColorectal Surgeons
Our renowned GI surgeons are pioneers in minimally invasive colorectal surgery. They perform procedures laparoscopically with the help of special instruments inserted through tiny incisions.
Gastrointestinal pathologists
Highly trained specialized gastrointestinal pathologists with expertise examine intestinal tissue taken during endoscopy and biopsy. A pathologist looks at the sample under a microscope to determine if disease is present and how the intestine is responding to treatment. They also look for signs of super-infection and importantly are able to determine if pre-cancerous changes are a concern.
Gastrointestinal radiologists
These experts with specialized training and focus have extensive experience interpreting images of the digestive tract. This allows us to evaluate the extent and severity of IBD as well as determine areas of stricturing, dilation, fistulization or abscess formation.
Stanford is an Academic Medical Center, which is a type of hospital setting where doctors teach the entire spectrum of medical education. Students range from beginning medical students to fully licensed and practicing doctors completing advanced sub-specialty training. Stanford Medicine is a partnership between Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Health Care. Since Stanford is a teaching hospital, you can expect to meet many providers and providers in training.
- Attending Physician: a doctor who supervises doctors in training or in medical school
- Fellow: a doctor doing postgraduate level work and specializing in care of patients with specific conditions
- Resident: a doctor who has graduated from medical school and is in training (also called “residency”) here at Stanford. A resident is also called an intern
- Medical Student: a student who is currently enrolled in medical school with the goal of becoming a doctor
Extended Care Team
Working with our IBD specialists, our extended care team includes nurse practitioners. They use their advanced skills in digestive health to assist with diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care.
ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS
Living with IBD and its symptoms is challenging and can cause emotional distress. Our psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers meet with you one-on-one for support through your diagnosis and treatment.
After an IBD diagnosis or certain IBD treatments, you may need to follow a specific diet. Our food and nutrition experts work with you to make healthy changes to your eating habits in a sustainable way.
DIETITIANS
These specialists work with you and your doctor to ensure you receive the proper dose of any medications you may take. They also ensure other drugs you take do not interfere with your IBD medications and work with you to minimize any side effects.
Nurse coordinators guide you throughout your care and coordinate all aspects. They schedule appointments, handle disability and insurance paperwork, and collaborate with the finance office and social workers, if needed.
Our doctors participate in research efforts to advance the understanding and treatment of IBD. Research coordinators help screen candidates for possible participation in clinical research trials.
Support Services
We offer a wide variety of support services to assist and guide you through your IBD diagnosis and treatment. A dedicated team helps coordinate all aspects of your care.
- Case Management
- Financial Counseling
- Guest Services
- Integrative Medicine (acupuncture, massage)
- Interpreter Services
- Nutrition Services
- Spiritual Care
- Stanford Health Library
- Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
IBD and Family Program
We partner with Maternal and Fetal Health specialists at Stanford Children's Health to address concerns and optimize the reproductive health for women with IBD.
Accessing Care
The Digestive Health Center provides seamless access to all of Stanford's digestive health services — from diagnostic evaluation to treatment and follow-up. We make every effort to coordinate your appointments, so that you can see multiple providers, as needed, during a single trip to our Redwood City location.
Frequently Asked Questions
We participate in a wide range of insurance plans. View the list of insurance plans accepted by Stanford Health Care
Have insurance or pre-authorization questions? The Patient Financial Clearance team is available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to answer your questions. Please call 650-724-4445 or 1-877-291-7335 (toll free).
When choosing a doctor, it’s important to consider the doctor’s clinical training, experience and expertise in a specialized area that matches your health care needs.
You can find the right Stanford doctor for you by using our doctor directory and filtering the results based on a medical category, specialty, or doctor’s last name. View our list of our Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program doctors
At Stanford, we take care of the details so that you can focus on your health and wellness. Our gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons work as a team with nurses, advanced practice providers, registered dietitians, imaging and pathology specialists, as well as pharmacists to coordinate every aspect of your care. We also offer a wide range of support services to promote healing and improve your quality of life. Learn more about our support services
You can call the IBD Program directly to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. Call 650-736-5555 to make an appointment.
Yes, Stanford Health Care offers financial assistance for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Meet with one of our financial counselors to find the best approach to paying for your health care. Financial counselors are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Learn more about financial assistance services
Managing treatment for IBD is a highly personalized process. Our care team guides you every step of the way, including:
- What to expect and what to bring on the day of your appointment
- Maps, directions, parking, public transit options, and contact information
- Suggested questions to ask your doctor
For your first appointment, you should plan to bring any related test results and your medical history to share with your doctor. Our clinic receptionists will confirm the information you should bring with you prior to your first appointment.
You will also need to have the following information with you when you check in:
- Insurance card
- A form of payment for any co-pays or deductibles
- One form of photo ID:
- Valid state-issued driver’s license
- Valid state-issued ID card
- Valid passport
- Valid U.S. Military ID card
- Valid U.S. Permanent Resident Card
The IBD Program is located at the following address. Self-parking options are available for a fee.
Directions and Parking information for the IBD Program:
IBD Program
420 Broadway Street
Pavilion D, 2nd Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: 650-736-5555
Please plan to arrive 20-30 minutes prior to your appointment time due to construction near the Redwood City campus. This will allow you plenty of time to park, locate your clinic and complete any additional paperwork.
Please print, fill out, and return the Medical Record Release Form to your new patient coordinator. The medical release form is an authorization form for external facilities to release medical records to Stanford Health Care.
Always feel free to bring someone with you to your appointments. A family member or friend can help ask questions, remember the information your care team gives you, and provide support.
Write down your questions before your appointment and rank them in order of importance, beginning with the most important ones. If there isn’t enough time to have all your questions answered during your appointment, ask your doctor who you can speak with to get your other questions answered.
You have multiple options when it comes to paying your bill.
- Pay Online:
- You can log in to MyHealth or the MyHealth mobile app to see and pay your bill.
Already have an account but need help logging in?
Contact the MyHealth Help Desk
- You can also pay as a guest to pay your bill without logging in.
- Pay by mail:
- Stanford Health Care
P.O. Box 740715, Los Angeles, CA 90074-0715
Los Angeles, CA 90074-0715
- Stanford Health Care
- Pay by Phone:
- You can call our Patient Billing Customer Service Office
1-800-549-3720.
- You can call our Patient Billing Customer Service Office
For our latest business hours and for more information about billing, visit our Billing page.
At Stanford, we take care of the details so that you can focus on your health and wellness. Our gastroenterologists work as a team with nurses, advanced practice providers, registered dietitians, and technologists to coordinate every aspect of your care. We also offer a wide range of support services to promote healing and improve your quality of life. Learn more about our support services
Please call our clinic receptionists at 650-736-5555. They are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to help you reschedule or cancel your appointment.
To determine if a clinical trial is right for you, talk to your doctor. He or she can refer you to a research coordinator for more information on studies that may be right for your specific condition.
You can also find the guidelines for who can participate in a particular clinical trial online. However, it is best to work with your doctor to decide the right care approach for your needs.
Many of our programs are available to international patients.
Our International Medicine Services team can help you find the right doctor, estimate medical costs, book travel, and get you information about Stanford programs and services.
Please call +1 650-723-8561 or email IMS@stanfordhealthcare.org to get started.
For Referring Physicians
PHYSICIAN HELPLINE
Fax: 650-320-9443
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Stanford Health Care provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well as the latest information and news for physicians and office staff. For help with all referral needs and questions, visit Referral Information.
You may also submit a web referral or complete a referral form and fax it to 650-320-9443 or email the Referral Center at ReferralCenter@stanfordhealthcare.org.
- Send referrals online
- Place radiology and lab orders
- View referral status
- Access medical records