At Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Frisco at PGA Parkway, patients can access advanced gastrointestinal care that combines the expertise of specialized physicians with an approachable, patient-focused team deeply connected to the community.
Before the hospital opened, leaders intentionally made GI care one of its core programs.
“Comprehensive gastrointestinal care will be necessary in the region to keep up with population growth, but, also, as the population ages, patient complexity increases. Having the ability to address the GI needs of patients at a deeper, more specialized level will limit their need for travel and keep them close to home,” said Dr. Eric Beshires, Chief Medical Officer at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Frisco at PGA Parkway. “We wanted to ensure patients have access to advanced care close to home, delivered in a way that feels personal and approachable.”
Together, the GI team provides a wide range of services, from general screenings to advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures involving the pancreas, gallbladder and more.
“We're creating a center of excellence and a place for North Texans seeking comprehensive digestive care, from preventative to complex treatments,” said Dr. Surkunalingam, GI specialist at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Frisco at PGA Parkway.
The GI team remains close-knit, which helps patients receive care quickly and seamlessly.
“There’s a core group of physicians in each department,” said Dr. David Lee, gastroenterologist at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Frisco at PGA Parkway. “It makes facilitation and patient handoffs very warm. Rather than just sending in a referral, we’re calling people [to ask], ‘How soon can you see this patient?’”
That teamwork often means faster answers and less waiting.
“We’re able to see a patient, diagnose a patient and if they need surgery or an oncologist, sometimes within a week we can [get them that care],” Dr. Surkunalingam said.
At PGA Parkway, advanced technology is transforming what’s possible. Many conditions that once required surgery can now be treated using minimally invasive procedures.
These innovations can mean shorter recovery times and fewer disruptions to daily life, some even allowing patients to return to their routine the same or next day.
Patient communication and education
The team prioritizes communication and education throughout each patient’s journey. Through the MyBSWHealth app, patients can message their physician, review results and get follow-up instructions. This helps them stay connected without waiting for a clinic visit.
“Patients are able to directly ... message me through the Baylor app, and within 24 hours, they're getting a reply straight from me,” Dr. Lee said.
The team also values the time spent face-to-face with patients.
“We have 30-minute appointments, which is sometimes unheard of at other places. [Patients] see the physician directly,” Dr. Surkunalingam said. “We're able to provide educational resources, either through videos, through the app or ... through patient education handouts. All of that [happens] during the visit.”
The physicians emphasized that patients should not ignore symptoms that persist or interfere with daily life.
“When you have persistent symptoms that can’t be tied to a certain event or new medication ... [you should see a GI doctor],” Dr. Surkunalingam said. “[These can be] things like rectal bleeding, changes in bowel habits that are persistent, abdominal pain that’s not going away ... or abnormal weight loss.”
Dr. Lee added that screening and early evaluation can make a critical difference.
“Once you start developing symptoms, it can be too late,” Dr. Lee said. “Colon cancer is a preventable cancer in the sense that if you get regular screening colonoscopies and remove precancerous polyps ... [when they’re] still in a small, benign state, then you [won’t] have a chance for these polyps to turn into cancer down the road.”
The Open Access program simplifies scheduling for preventative screening colonoscopies. Patients who are not experiencing the above symptoms and are otherwise healthy can simply call, answer a questionnaire over the phone and schedule their colonoscopy.
“It’s meant to minimize the number of obstacles [patients] have to jump through,” Dr. Lee said. “We make it as low-friction as possible.”
The GI team at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Frisco at PGA Parkway is building something unique: a small, growing hospital that delivers advanced, collaborative and compassionate care.
“You’re getting high-level, quality care with great expertise in a fast-paced environment,” Dr. Surkunalingam said.
To schedule an appointment or learn more about Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Frisco at PGA Parkway’s GI program, click here.
Location: 7600 Better Way, Frisco, TX 75033
Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of Baylor Scott & White Health or those medical centers.
The above story was produced by Multi-Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team.
