As physicians with the great skill and expertise in the field of gastroenterology obtained through years of experience, Drs. Thomas McCaffery, James Lilly, and Steve Price founded Metropolitan Gastroenterology Associates in 1983. They were committed to provide patients with the best possible medical care within a reasonable and realistic cost. To provide convenience and the best possible care for patients, two patient-focused offices were established: one in Uptown New Orleans and the other on the West Bank.
Shortly thereafter, Dr. Steve Venturatos joined the Corporation in the Westbank office. In 1985, to better meet the needs of our patients, a third office was opened in Metairie adjacent to East Jefferson General Hospital. Dr. Melvin Gold joined MGA in the Metairie office.
With the increase in patients, and staff personnel associated with corporate growth, the Westbank office was moved to a larger facility in the Physicians’ Center on the Westbank in 1987, and Dr. Benjamin Guider joined the group in 1989; Dr. Rian Tanenbaum, in 1991; Dr. Richard Puente, in 1994; Drs. Meyers and Brenner, in 1995.
Dr. James Lilly retired in 1995. With additional demand for GI services in the community, Dr. Charles Schibler joined the group in 1999, Dr. Catinis, in 2001, Drs. Kedia, Reddy and Khan in 2003. Dr. Lilly’s son, Dr. James D. Lilly joined in 2004. Dr. McCaffery retired in 2005. Drs. Herbert Mayer, Mark Wegmann and Rebekah Lemann joined in 2007. In 2008, Drs. Mark Marino and Taavi Reiss joined the group.
All physicians limit their practice to gastroenterology and several specialize in the area of liver disease, treatment and transplant. They maintain staff membership at all major hospitals in the city.
MGA Gastrointestinal Diagnostic & Therapeutic Centers, a separate corporation was founded in the fall of 1992 with outpatient endoscopy centers located in Uptown New Orleans and on the Westbank. An additional location was opened in Metairie in the fall of 2000.
The centers provide a safe, cost-effective facility for our physicians to perform endoscopic procedures on their own patients which had been done only in the hospital setting. The centers opened as state-licensed, Medicare-certified free-standing ambulatory surgery centers with the latest endoscopic equipment and specially trained staff. Always focusing on providing the best possible patient care, the centers received a three-year accreditation (the longest available) by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) in 2002 and has maintained the accreditation continuously. The AAAHC develops standards to advance and promote patient safety, quality, value and measurement of performance for ambulatory health care through peer-based accreditation processes, education and research.
In 2007, the Centers partnered with AmSurg Corporation which is America’s single specialty surgery center leader. This relationship further enhances our ability to achieve our mission statement of providing the best possible medical care within a reasonable and realistic costs.
To bring about efficiencies and accuracy in patient’s records and critical health care information, the practice and centers transitioned into an electronic medical record (EHR) system beginning in 2004. Among other benefits, this CCHIT-certified EHR ensures accurate and timely consultative communication with patients’ referring physicians.
Our physicians are members of the major national and local GI societies and regularly participate in continuing education programs well above those required. The governing body continues to consider the latest advances in technologies and techniques in the field of gastroenterology.
