Marshall Health Network introduces GI motility services, expanding care for complex digestive conditions
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Health Network (MHN) has launched gastrointestinal (GI) motility services, expanding access to advanced, highly specialized care for patients battling complex digestive disorders. The service is led by Sandeep Verma, M.D., the region’s only fellowship-trained GI motility specialist, bringing advanced treatment options previously unavailable in the tri-state area and across West Virginia. Verma also serves as director of GI motility services for Marshall Internal Medicine and an assistant professor of internal medicine at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.
GI motility is a subspecialty within gastroenterology that focuses on the functional movement and regulation of the muscles and nerves involved in the digestive process. This field is concerned with the normal and abnormal movements of the gastrointestinal tract, which are essential for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. When these movements slow down or become uncoordinated, leading to symptoms such as chronic abdominal pain, bloating, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing —symptoms that can be debilitating and difficult to diagnose without advanced testing. Conditions like gastroparesis, esophageal dysmotility, achalasia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic constipation and small bowel and colonic dysmotility are all examples of GI motility disorders. These conditions can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life and are often complex to diagnose and treat due to the intricate nature of gastrointestinal function.
“Integrating GI motility services into our gastroenterology program further enhances what we can offer patients throughout the region,” said Jennifer Hanrahan, D.O., professor and chair of internal medicine at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. “Dr. Verma’s specialized training adds another layer of expertise that enhances care for those with complex or persistent digestive concerns.”
Verma earned his medical degree from Dayanand Medical College in Punjab, India. He then completed his internal medicine residency at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, followed by a dedicated fellowship in gastrointestinal motility at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, one of the nation’s leading centers for digestive disease care. During his time at Johns Hopkins, he received comprehensive, specialized training in esophageal, gastric and intestinal motility disorders, including diagnostic and therapeutic approaches such as manometry, pH-impedance testing and motility-based management of complex functional gastrointestinal conditions. He now applies this advanced expertise to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with dysphagia, achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), non-acid reflux, gastroparesis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic constipation, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), pelvic floor disorders and other motility-related conditions.
Prior to his internal medicine residency, Verma completed a three-year research fellowship in gastroenterology, where he conducted extensive work on the human gut microbiome. He has also served as a co-investigator on several clinical studies involving fecal microbiota transplantation, microbial therapeutics and translational microbiome science. His background in gut microbiome research further enhances his ability to treat complex, multifactorial disorders. To diagnose these conditions, Verma brings a suite of advanced motility tests, allowing a precise evaluation of how the esophagus, stomach, intestines and pelvic floor function.
“Patients shouldn’t have to travel hundreds of miles for specialized GI testing or live without answers,” Verma said. “Our goal is to improving quality of life for patients with complex and chronic GI conditions through accurate diagnosis, individualized treatment plans and ongoing patient education.”
Verma is accepting new patients and referrals at Marshall Internal Medicine’s Gastroenterology and Hepatology clinic in the Shell Medical Pavilion, 1340 Hal Greer Blvd. (304.691.1000). For more information, please visit marshallhealth.org/GI-Motility.