Top 5 Gastroenterologists in Houston 

Patients of Dr. Isaac Raijman, MD seek his expertise in treating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and gallstones.

When explaining the causes of GERD, it’s great that Dr. Raijman first asks about the patient’s recent food, drink, and medicine intake. After that, he’ll pinpoint several things to avoid to lessen the instances of acid reflux for patients.

We also commend the doctor for being meticulous in explaining. He’ll gladly repeat what he’s discussing in case patients aren’t understanding certain concepts and medical terms.

In such instances when GERD is caused by an abnormality in the body itself, Dr. Raijman would quickly perform necessary tests and imaging procedures so the surgeons could correct this disorder.

Note that acid reflux could be sometimes caused by a hiatal hernia, which is when the stomach bulges through the diaphragm. To correct these, the surgeon must first have a diagnosis from a gastroenterologist through x-rays and upper endoscopies.

However, there are times when Dr. Raijman forgets to check if the patient’s insurance company is covered before performing checkups. His staff sometimes puts patients on hold for at least 30 minutes, which delays certain procedures.

Nevertheless, Dr. Raijman is available 7 days a week to accommodate patients having difficulties booking an appointment with him.

What we like about Dr. Darshan Anandu, MD’s clinic is the friendly staff that promptly assists patients when they arrive at the clinic. During the session, the aides warmly welcome people to calm their nerves before the checkup

Most people seek Dr. Anandu when it comes to anal and rectal problems. Previous patients praise the smoothness of their visit to the clinic, with the doctor prescribing the necessary medication and procedure right after the preliminary session.

When visually checking for signs of complications like anal fissures or hemorrhoids, Dr. Anandu always takes extra care not to disturb the affected area and the surrounding body parts. This is to prevent sharp pain from accidental movement.

After the inspection, the doctor tests the patient for drug allergies before prescribing suppository medicine for the mentioned illnesses.

While the doctor has a systematic approach to diagnosing and treating anal and rectal diseases, he was late in notifying appointment cancellations for certain patients. 

Also, some tests performed at his clinic are more expensive compared to others. This could be a problem for some without medical insurance.

Regardless, Dr. Anandu never rushes his sessions, which we think is a necessary practice because it allows the doctor to better look at the patient’s condition.

New patients of Dr. Babatunde Adeyefa, MD describe him as someone empathetic. When talking to the patients, we love how he attentively listens to their concerns to readily make them feel that their doctor is genuinely caring for them.

Dr. Adeyafa specializes in performing screening methods for diseases in the intestinal tract, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Specifically, he uses several tests to detect gastrointestinal cancers.

One of the procedures that this doctor employs is Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This monitors the movement of digestive fluids like bile to see if there are blockages present.

During the ERCP, it’s great that Dr. Adeyafa explains every step to patients before proceeding. This gives the patients a heads-up, making sure that they’re prepared for the injections and scans the doctor does.

Another test that their clinic performs is a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy where the doctor would check the lower colon and rectum with a camera to search for growths and tumors that could lead to colorectal cancer.

Although, some patients complain of long waiting times for virtual consultations. Others also have problems regarding the scheduling, with the staff not consulting them about the date of these online checkups.

Still, we love the fact that Dr. Adeyafa would provide comfort and support for people in case they’re diagnosed with chronic gastrointestinal illnesses. He’ll listen to the patients and list some references to help them deal with their sickness better.

We appreciate how during consultations, Dr. John T. Dugan III, MD always takes his time in explaining the patient’s complications and his treatment plans.

First, Dr. Dugan breaks down his findings, explaining the cause and possible effects of the disease present in the gastrointestinal tract. He’ll also answer questions regarding the condition so the patients would understand.

After that, the doctor provides a comprehensive treatment strategy for patients, which includes changes in diet, routines, and medicine that need to be taken. He’ll also forward these to your family doctor so they’re aware of his prescriptions.

People suffering from conditions like celiac disease benefit from these comprehensive checkups from Dr. Dugan. His former patients with the said disorder were thankful for the doctor’s diet advice. 

Note that people with celiac disease can’t digest gluten because of the makeup of their small intestine. Thus, patients need a detailed diet plan from gastroenterologists regarding food and drinks they need to avoid.

Despite his detailed treatment plans, it’s sometimes difficult to schedule physical appointments with Dr. Dugan. This might be challenging for those with busy schedules or for people who need immediate consultations.

It’s also unfortunate that the clinic has a lengthy process of billing the hospital bills to the patient’s insurance providers.

Still, we appreciate how easy it is to reach Dr. Dugan’s hotlines. Whenever people need him to clarify certain things, he’ll respond through calls as soon as possible.

Patients trust Dr. Ryan Barrientos, MD whenever they need someone to treat disorders in the biliary system.

Usually, Dr. Barrientos performs tests like ERCP, cholecystography, and CT scans to look for obstructions like gallstones accumulating on the gallbladder.  He’ll also prescribe medicine and treatment plans, which include surgery, to address those.

What we like about Dr. Barrientos’ treatment strategy is he tries to reduce the tests as much as possible. Not only does this save the patient a lot of dollars, but it also helps the doctor accommodate more patients who need the said procedures.

Also, it’s convenient that the doctor is fast when it comes to sending results to other physicians and surgeons. This makes the operations faster as the surgeons could readily use the findings to start the surgery.

Although, those who would seek his services need to know that his clinic often has many patients, resulting in longer lines during in-person checkups. There are also rare cases of patients complaining about the clinic not answering their calls for hours.

Despite that, Dr. Barrientos always tries to reach out to his patients, particularly after their surgeries. We appreciate this as it shows the doctor’s concern for his patients.