About the Digestive Health Centre
A Non-Profit Academic Centre Advancing Digestive Health
Provincial leadership
DHC redefines digestive health in Canada through research, education & innovation.
The Digestive Health Centre of BC (DHC) is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to improving digestive health through integrated clinical research, care, education, and innovation.
DHC was created to serve as a provincial platform for excellence in digestive diseases, bringing together specialists in inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, colorectal surgery, colon cancer screening, therapeutic endoscopy, and clinical nutrition under one coordinated, mission-driven model of care.
As a non-profit organization, DHC reinvests all its resources into patient access programs, research initiatives, education and infrastructure that strengthens digestive care across BC.
Building a Sustainable Platform for the Future
The creation of DHC represents a long-term commitment to transforming digestive health delivery in BC. By integrating care, research, and education within a coordinated non-profit framework, DHC aims to:
- Improve patient outcomes
- Reduce system inefficiencies
- Expand access to specialized services
- Strengthen provincial research capacity
- Train future leaders in digestive health
DHC is designed not only as a clinical facility, but as a system-wide platform for innovation and impact.
OUR MISSION
To advance digestive health through:
- Provincial collaboration and system strengthening
- Research and innovation that improve patient outcomes
- Integrated, multidisciplinary clinical care
- Education and training of the next generation of specialists
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Research is a core pillar of DHC’s mandate. The Centre supports:
- Clinical trials and investigator-initiated studies
- Real-world evidence and outcomes research
- Data-driven quality improvement initiatives
- AI-enabled and digital health innovation
- Multidisciplinary academic collaboration
Modern cloud-based collaboration tools support research coordination, protocol development, secure document management, and cross-site academic engagement.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
DHC is committed to advancing professional education in digestive health. The Centre supports:
- Advanced fellowship training programs in subspecialized areas of gastroenterology
- Multidisciplinary rounds and continuing medical education
- Training in emerging technologies such as intestinal ultrasound
- Knowledge exchange across institutions and disciplines
Education at DHC is supported through structured digital learning environments, virtual case conferences, secure communication platforms, and shared academic resources that enable participation from clinicians and trainees across BC.
GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY
DHC operates under a formal non-profit governance structure with oversight provided by a Board of Directors.
The organization maintains transparent financial stewardship and reinvests revenues into mission-driven initiatives that enhance access, research, and education.
As a non-profit centre, DHC prioritizes responsible information governance, secure communication, and compliant data management practices to support patient confidentiality, research integrity, and interprofessional collaboration..
Research, Academic & Medical Leadership
At the DHC, patients will have access to an array of expertise through its six pillars of care: therapeutic endoscopy, colon cancer screening, colorectal surgery, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care and management, liver disease and nutrition.
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The DHC will be equipped to train future clinical and academic leaders and assist them to expand their expertise in patient care with state-of-the-art endoscopy rooms, research facilities, access to telehealth, clinical and research networks, wet labs and biobanks.
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Located next to the new St. Paul’s Hospital, the CSRC will enable DHC experts to build on existing collaborations between the Province’s gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons, allied health professionals, health authority administration, BC Cancer Agency oncologists, and Indigenous healthcare researchers and leaders.
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Our teams will partner with the entire health sector, including academia, health authorities, patient advocacy groups, and others in the scientific and clinical communities to create a Centre of Excellence.
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300k
Canadians who die from diseases related to digestive health disorder annually
24.3k
Canadians diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year
230k
Canadians suffering from inflammatory bowel disease
4,500
Cases of ulcerative colitis diagnosed each year
5,700
Cases on Crohn’s disease diagnosed each year
The DHC will be a teaching and training powerhouse.
The training of medical students, residents and fellows in colorectal surgery, IBD and therapeutic endoscopy will make the Digestive Health Centre the only one of its kind in the world.
A groundbreaking collaborative hub of research, training and clinical care, the centre is organized into six pillars for patients dealing with digestive and gastrointestinal disorders.
The St. Paul’s Hospital Advanced Endoscopic Resection Centre (SPARC)
SPARC utilizes minimally invasive and organ-sparing endoscopic resection techniques to safely treat pre-cancerous and early-stage cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and colorectum.
Lunken Lab Biobank
The biobank is designed to support translational and clinical research focused on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It enables the investigation of microbiome-related aspects of IBD, including disease progression, treatment response, and biomarker discovery. To enable investigation of these aspects, the biobank will collect and store de-identified fecal, mucosal, and tissue samples from IBD patients during different phases of their disease as well as non-IBD controls.
Our Services
The DHC offers a wide range of services organized into six pillars:
- Colorectal Surgery: Provincial centre of excellence for surgical treatment of colorectal disorders.
- Liver Disease: Management and treatment of various liver diseases.
- Therapeutic Endoscopy: Early diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers.
- Colon Cancer Screening: Detecting cancer at an early, treatable stage.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Comprehensive care for patients with IBD.
- Nutrition: Access to specialized nutrition support programs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How will the DHC improve patient care compared to the current model?
The DHC will unify various specialized services under one roof, fostering collaboration among multidisciplinary teams of gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, hepatologists, nutritionists, and other specialists. This integrated approach ensures seamless patient care, from diagnosis to treatment, and leverages the latest research and technological advancements to improve patient outcomes.
Equipped with multiple endoscopy suites and enabled for surgical procedures, this will be the most equipped Centre in Canada for Digestive Care.
When will the new DHC facility open, and where will it be located?
The new DHC facility is expected to open its doors in 2029 at the Clinical Support and Research Centre on the Jim Pattison Medical Campus. Until then, the DHC operates from three locations: St. Paul’s Hospital, The IBD Centre of BC, and Pacific Gastroenterology Associates. (PGA)
How can patients get involved or access services at the DHC?
Patients can access services at the DHC by contacting our dedicated team for referrals and appointments.
Additionally, patients can get involved by participating in clinical trials, providing feedback on their care experiences, and supporting the DHC through donations and advocacy.
How can my organization collaborate with the DHC?
Health authorities and industry partners are encouraged to collaborate with the DHC through funding, clinical trials, research partnerships, and educational initiatives.
The DHC is committed to advancing the field of digestive health and welcomes collaborations that aim to improve patient care and develop innovative treatments for digestive and gastrointestinal disorders.
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“I’m just thankful for the path I’m on now. Knowing that the Digestive Health Centre will be there for my daughter and myself makes it a lot easier to deal with our digestive health issues.”
Patti T.
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“I love the idea of the Digestive Health Centre because it’s a one-stop shop. Having IBD and digestive care concentrated in one place is going to make a lot of people’s lives easier.”
Elyssa K.