Business Details
12 Years
experience
Comprehensive Digestive Health Care in Watkinsville
Established in 2014, our medical center has become a trusted provider of digestive health services in Northeast Georgia. Our team of board-certified professionals brings decades of combined experience in gastroenterology and hepatology, operating from Oconee County's first state-of-the-art endoscopy center. We specialize in personalized care regimens tailored to each patient's unique needs, supported by on-site lab services and advanced diagnostic capabilities. Our providers maintain active hospital affiliations while delivering outpatient care focused on digestive disorders, including colorectal cancer screening and chronic condition management.We prioritize patient education through detailed preparation instructions and multilingual resources, serving both English and Spanish-speaking communities. Our facility maintains strict accreditation standards for quality care and patient safety, operating under Medicare Deemed Status. With convenient online tools for bill payment and appointment requests, we streamline access to specialized gastrointestinal care.
Services
Colonoscopy
Acid Reflux Treatment
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Care
Upper Endoscopy
Barrett's Esophagus Management
Anorectal Disorder Treatment
Hemorrhoid Care
Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening
Liver Disease Management
Capsule Endoscopy
Details
- Year established: 2014
Highlights and features
- Board-certified gastroenterologists with 15+ years of combined experience
- Oconee County's first state-of-the-art endoscopy center
- Personalized treatment plans for digestive health conditions
- On-site laboratory services for faster diagnostic results
- Multilingual patient resources and preparation instructions
Associations and certifications
- Medicare Deemed Status
Services
Colonoscopy
Our colonoscopy procedure detects early-stage colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps through comprehensive lower GI tract examination. This preventive screening recommended for adults over 45 utilizes advanced imaging technology to identify abnormalities while patients remain comfortable under sedation. Our gastroenterologists perform this life-saving procedure in our accredited endoscopy center following strict safety protocols.
Acid Reflux Treatment
We diagnose and treat chronic acid reflux (GERD) causing persistent heartburn and esophageal damage. Our approach combines lifestyle modifications, medication management, and advanced interventions like Barrett's esophagus monitoring. Patients receive personalized treatment plans addressing both symptom relief and prevention of long-term complications through our specialized digestive health expertise.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Care
Our team manages inflammatory bowel diseases affecting 3 million Americans, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. We provide comprehensive care for symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, and irregular bowel movements through medication management, nutritional counseling, and regular monitoring using endoscopic evaluation to assess disease progression and treatment effectiveness.
Upper Endoscopy
This diagnostic procedure examines the upper gastrointestinal tract for abnormalities causing symptoms like difficulty swallowing and upper abdominal pain. Using a flexible scope, our specialists visualize the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to identify conditions requiring treatment, performed in our accredited facility with appropriate sedation and monitoring.
Liver Disease Management
We evaluate and manage liver conditions that may progress to cirrhosis or liver failure. Our services include diagnostic testing, treatment planning, and ongoing monitoring for patients with hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and other hepatic disorders. We coordinate care with transplant centers when advanced treatment becomes necessary.
People
Dr. Asif Qadri
Founder & Gastroenterologist
Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Transplant Hepatology, Dr. Qadri established Athens Digestive in 2014 after serving as Chief Resident and Chief Fellow during his training. With over 15 years of specialized experience, he leads our team in delivering personalized digestive health care.
Sam Bennett
Nurse Practitioner
A Mercer University graduate with ICU experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sam Bennett provides evidence-based GI care. His clinical expertise includes primary and acute care settings, focusing on patient-centered treatment approaches for digestive disorders.
Kayla Yarbrough
Nurse Practitioner
Board-certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Kayla Yarbrough joined our team in 2022. With prior experience in outpatient surgery and hospice care, she delivers comprehensive GI treatment while maintaining active involvement in patient education and care coordination.
Questions
What digestive health services do you offer?
We provide comprehensive GI care including colonoscopies, endoscopies, acid reflux treatment, IBD management, Barrett's esophagus monitoring, and liver disease evaluation at our accredited endoscopy center.
Do you accept my insurance plan?
We accept nearly all major insurance plans. Contact our office at 706-850-4985 to verify coverage details for your specific digestive health services.
How do I prepare for a colonoscopy?
We provide detailed preparation instructions including split-dose, Miralax-Gatorade, and gallon prep options. Follow our specific guidelines to ensure optimal bowel cleansing for accurate examination results.
Are your providers board-certified?
Yes, our medical team includes board-certified gastroenterologists and nurse practitioners with specialized training in digestive health care and endoscopic procedures.
What are your office hours?
Our facility operates Monday-Thursday 8AM-5PM and Friday 8AM-12PM. We offer online bill pay and appointment scheduling through our patient portal system.
Reviews (5)
Torie Hawk
Jan 04, 2022
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Dr.Mehta is simply the BEST , he has brought me through the toughest journey of my life. If you ever need a GI doctor hes the man to go to for sure!
William Scheibe
Dec 23, 2021
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Lack of employees, slow, they do not fully comminicate all thats needed and do not make sure patients are aware of things needed. With some effort could be alot better
Cecilia Webb
May 27, 2021
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Stuck in waiting room for nearly 2 hours despite having a long-standing appointment. No communication from the office beforehand. Once I was finally brought in for my procedure, I was left in a pre-op room for a ridiculous amount of time and again, absolutely no communication, but given the atmosphere in the office, one would have thought they had hardly any patients even though I certainly wasn't the only one waiting for over an hour in the lobby. In 3 words: inefficent, rude, irritating. Disappointing experience.
Stephen Jaques
May 23, 2021
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You can expect quality care...and a nasty bill on the back end. It was also not uncommon to wait an hour from the time of your appointment to actually see the doctor.
Cal Clements
May 16, 2021
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Athens Digestive Healthcare charged me $448 to simply visit with a nurse to evaluate whether I'm ready for my routine colonoscopy. Then they failed to schedule the actual procedure--as four months have gone by. Avoid this place!
