Health maintenance in the inflammatory bowel disease patient.

Gastroenterologists are in a unique position to make very positive differences in the lives of their IBD patients. We understand that IBD patients do not receive preventive services at the same rate as general medical patients. Because these individuals are at increased risk for complications from preventable diseases, we have a valuable opportunity to protect this population (Table 1). Establishing a close working relationship with PCPs can facilitate delivering quality care, but it is important to note that some of these patients rely solely on their GI clinician for the majority of their care. In such a vulnerable population, it is important to be aggressive with vaccine recommendations, monitoring for depression, tobacco cessation, and in performing the appropriate cancer screening examinations. As professional societies and health care system increase their focus on quality measures, incorporating these important issues into routine practice will ultimately result in addressing quality standards; perhaps more important, it should provide our patients with the best individual care possible.