Gastroenterologist in Memphis
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June 14, 2026
Digestive-health care in Memphis is shaped by the city’s role as the medical anchor of the Mid-South. Seated in Shelby County and counting roughly 619,000 residents in 2024 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Memphis ranks as Tennessee’s second-largest city, and its concentration of hospitals and referral networks has drawn several sizable gastroenterology groups alongside hospital-affiliated practices. Patients who look for a gastroenterologist within this local network, instead of through a national list of names, tend to be matched with physicians who perform their procedures at area endoscopy centers and coordinate care with Mid-South hospitals when more complex treatment is needed.
What these specialists do, in clinical terms, is diagnose and treat disorders along the entire digestive system: the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, and the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Each is a physician with an M.D. or D.O. degree, and their daily work runs from prevention to advanced therapy. Prevention leans heavily on colorectal cancer screening, where the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society agree that average-risk adults should start at age 45, and colonoscopy is a primary choice precisely because polyps can be found and removed in the same sitting. On the diagnostic and therapeutic front, Memphis gastroenterologists manage acid reflux and GERD, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, liver disease, and pancreatic and biliary conditions, relying on upper endoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy as everyday tools and turning to advanced techniques such as ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound when the situation calls for them.
Licensing and oversight in Tennessee run through the state Department of Health: M.D.s are governed by the Board of Medical Examiners and D.O.s by the Board of Osteopathic Examination. Specialty credentialing is a separate matter. After finishing an internal medicine residency and a gastroenterology fellowship, a physician may earn board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine, a voluntary distinction that exists apart from the license required to practice. To check a clinician before booking, patients can verify an active license and review any disciplinary history at the Department of Health portal, apps.health.tn.gov. As for cost, an office visit is a professional service and therefore exempt from Tennessee’s 7% sales tax, which is reserved for retail goods, though products sold within an office can still be taxed.
Outpatient procedures are commonly carried out at ambulatory endoscopy or surgery centers that many Memphis practices operate themselves, so a colonoscopy or EGD often happens outside a hospital entirely. These facilities hold State of Tennessee licenses and are usually accredited by bodies such as the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Should a problem surface, the responsible agency depends on the issue: the Division of Consumer Affairs enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104) against deceptive billing and business practices, while complaints about a physician’s clinical conduct belong with the Board of Medical Examiners. This overview is educational rather than medical advice, and screening, diagnosis, and treatment decisions should always be worked out with a licensed physician.
Top Gastroenterologist Providers in Memphis
1. Gastro One
Address: 1325 Eastmoreland Avenue, Suite 410, Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901) 377-2111
Website: https://gastro1.com
Services: screening and diagnostic colonoscopy, upper endoscopy (EGD), ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), flexible sigmoidoscopy, reflux and GERD care, inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn’s disease and colitis, celiac disease, hepatitis and fatty liver, capsule endoscopy, gastrointestinal cancer screening
Description: Gastro One is one of the largest independent gastroenterology groups in the Mid-South, founded and led by Michael S. Dragutsky, M.D., FACP, FACG, who serves as president and managing partner. The group employs roughly 20 gastroenterologists, including Joseph G. Baltz Jr., M.D., Sufiyan H. Chaudhry, M.D., MBA, FASGE, Scott Duncan, M.D., Joshua French, M.D., Sri Narra, M.D., Rajesh Ramachandran, M.D., Robert S. Wooten, M.D., FACP, FACG, Gary A. Wruble, M.D., and Ziad H. Younes, M.D., among others. Patients are seen at the Midtown Memphis office on Eastmoreland along with locations in Germantown (Wolf River Boulevard and Wolf Park Drive), Bartlett on North Germantown Parkway, and Southaven, Mississippi. The practice offers the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and operates with AAAHC accreditation and ASGE affiliation.
2. Gastrointestinal Specialists Foundation
Address: 80 Humphreys Center, Suite 210, Memphis, TN 38120
Phone: (901) 761-3900
Website: https://www.memphisgastrodocs.com
Services: screening and diagnostic colonoscopy, upper endoscopy (EGD), flexible sigmoidoscopy, ERCP, capsule endoscopy, liver biopsy, esophageal pH monitoring, BARRX ablation for Barrett’s esophagus, balloon dilation, hemorrhoid banding, polypectomy, colon cancer screening
Description: Gastrointestinal Specialists Foundation, also known as Memphis GI Clinic, has served the Memphis area since 1991 and now operates as part of Baptist Medical Group. Its gastroenterologists include Abdullah Al-Rashdan, M.D., Paul S. Bierman, M.D., Kenneth I. Fields, M.D., Edward S. Friedman, M.D., Gaurav Kistangari, M.D., and Randelon D. Smith, M.D. The practice maintains an in-house GI lab with sedation provided by board-certified anesthesiologists and offers more than 20 endoscopic procedures, from routine colonoscopy and EGD to ERCP, capsule endoscopy, and Barrett’s esophagus ablation. In addition to its main office at 80 Humphreys Center, the group sees patients at offices in Collierville, Covington, and Arlington in Tennessee, along with Southaven, Mississippi, and Marion, Arkansas. The clinic emphasizes its in-house pathology capability, noting that test results are often available within 24 hours.
3. Mid-South Gastroenterology Group
Address: 1417 Monroe Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901) 272-7200
Website: https://doctorbowden.com
Services: screening and diagnostic colonoscopy, lower GI endoscopy, upper endoscopy, colon cancer screening, hemorrhoid treatment, evaluation of common digestive conditions, outpatient endoscopy
Description: Mid-South Gastroenterology Group is a Memphis gastroenterology practice founded by Phillip R. Bowden, M.D., who serves as its founder and medical director. The practice is rooted in Midtown Memphis on Monroe Avenue, where Dr. Bowden in 1996 became the first gastroenterologist in the city to build a freestanding outpatient endoscopy center, and it operates a second Memphis location at 1717 Kirby Parkway. The group focuses on colon cancer screening and colonoscopy, lower and upper GI endoscopy, and the evaluation and management of common digestive complaints, with care delivered through its outpatient endoscopy facility. The practice has grown over the years to include additional gastroenterologists serving the greater Memphis community.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gastroenterologist in Memphis
Q: What does a gastroenterologist do?
A gastroenterologist is a physician who specializes in the digestive system, including the esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. In Memphis practices, common work includes screening colonoscopy, diagnostic upper endoscopy, and the evaluation of conditions such as acid reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and liver and pancreatic disease. Gastroenterologists complete an internal medicine residency followed by a gastroenterology fellowship before practicing in the specialty.
Q: At what age should I start colon cancer screening in Memphis?
For adults at average risk, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society both recommend beginning colorectal cancer screening at age 45. Colonoscopy is one of the primary screening options because a physician can detect and remove polyps during the same procedure, and for average-risk patients with a normal result it is typically repeated about every ten years. People with a family history of colorectal cancer or other risk factors may be advised to start earlier, a decision to make with a physician.
Q: How do I verify a Memphis gastroenterologist’s license?
Physicians in Tennessee are licensed by the state Department of Health. Medical doctors are regulated by the Board of Medical Examiners and osteopathic physicians by the Board of Osteopathic Examination. You can confirm that a physician holds an active license, and review any disciplinary actions, through the Department of Health license verification system at apps.health.tn.gov. Board certification in gastroenterology is a separate credential from the American Board of Internal Medicine and can be verified through that organization.
Q: Where are colonoscopies performed in Memphis?
Many Memphis gastroenterology groups operate their own ambulatory endoscopy or surgery centers where outpatient procedures such as colonoscopy and EGD are performed. Gastrointestinal Specialists Foundation maintains an in-house GI lab, and Mid-South Gastroenterology Group operates a freestanding endoscopy center, for example. These centers are commonly accredited by organizations such as the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care and licensed by the State of Tennessee. Some procedures are performed at a hospital instead, depending on the patient’s needs.
Q: Does Tennessee sales tax apply to a gastroenterology visit?
Professional medical services, such as an office visit, consultation, or procedure, are generally not subject to Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax, which applies to retail sales of tangible goods. Patients should review insurance coverage and any out-of-pocket estimates directly with the practice, since costs vary by procedure, facility, and plan. Billing disputes involving deceptive practices fall under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Q: How do I file a complaint about a gastroenterology practice in Memphis?
Complaints about a physician’s clinical conduct or licensure can be filed with the Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Medical Examiners. Concerns about billing or business practices that may be deceptive can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping copies of records, itemized bills, and correspondence helps support any complaint. This information is educational and not a substitute for legal or medical advice.