Optimizing evidence based primary care framework for inflammatory bowel disease

What To Know

The authors synthesize guidelines, consensus statements, observational studies, and expert opinion to highlight gaps in primary care familiarity with IBD comorbidities and preventive care.

They focus on screening and management for anxiety, depression, fatigue, chronic pain, sexual health, pregnancy and lactation, and preventive cancer screening, and emphasize validated screening tools, behavioral and pharmacologic approaches, lifestyle interventions, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Primary care has an important role: integrated care models (for example, patient-centered medical homes) and PCP-directed education are presented as ways to reduce unplanned care and improve patient well-being, though implementation varies.

Practical takeaway: clinicians should consider routine use of validated screening instruments and streamlined referral pathways for mental health, nutrition, reproductive care, and specialty GI input when needed.