Patient Support & Education

At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, our advanced treatments for digestive diseases put our patients on the path to recovery. At the same time, we know that’s not all there is to healing. We also give you the support you need along the way.

Extending a Helping Hand

We understand that optimal care happens when experts combine their skills. These caregivers can be nurses, dietitians, and even other people who are living with conditions like yours. Here are some ways we use diverse resources to improve your care:

• Inflammatory bowel disease support groups. Share stories and get advice from others with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Find a group near you.
• Liver Disease Support Group. Talk with others who are living with these conditions. This group meets the first Wednesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. For more information, contact Laura Taylor, LICSW at 781-744-1146 or Kim Ricciardone, LICSW, at 781-744-3693.
• Assistance with diet and nutrition. Digestive conditions often put limits on how your body processes food and what you can eat. That can mean avoiding certain foods or even getting your nutrition through a feeding tube. Our nutrition support team includes gastroenterologists, surgeons, dieticians, nurses and pharmacists who work together to make sure you get the nutrition you need and stay as healthy as possible.

Guides to Your Digestive Health

Senior staff gastroenterologists put their experience to work in a book series about digestive health. Using questions asked by patients, this series offers practical information about digestive disorders as well as tools to help you understand medical terminology and the digestive system. You’ll also find commentary from patients with digestive problems.

• 100 Questions & Answers About Your Digestive Health: A Lahey Clinic Guide
• 100 Questions & Answers About Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): A Lahey Clinic Guide
• 100 Questions & Answers About Liver Transplantation: A Lahey Clinic Guide
• 100 Questions & Answers About Hepatitis C: A Lahey Clinic Guide
• 100 Questions & Answers About Celiac Disease and Sprue: A Lahey Clinic Guide
• 100 Questions & Answers About Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Lahey Clinic Guide

These books are available at local bookstores and through online booksellers.