Posts by Christopher D. Vélez, MD
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New GI Disorders Common After COVID-19 Recovery
Christopher Vélez, MD, Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, and colleagues have documented a heavy burden (39.5%) of new-onset post–COVID-19 gastrointestinal disorders, including functional dyspepsia–like and irritable bowel syndrome–like disorders, among ambulatory patients in heavily urbanized Suffolk County (including Boston).
Biography
Christopher Vélez, MD is a gastroenterologist practicing within the Center for Neurointestinal Health of the Massachusetts General Hosipital's Division of Gastroenterology, focusing on the broad category of neurogastroenterology and motility disorders impacting the esophagus stomach, and bowels. He is particularly interested in the diagnosis and medical management of esophageal motility diseases such as gastro-esophageal reflux disease, functional heartburn, and achalasia. He collaborates closely with surgical and advanced endoscopy colleagues in the Swallowing, Heartburn, and Esophageal Disease (SHED) Center, including helping improve multidisciplinary collaboration.
Dr. Vélez’s additional clinical and research endeavors include managing the gastrointestinal manifestations of cystic fibrosis, having participated in various Cystic Fibrosis Foundation sponsored initiatives. He is the first gastroenterologist embedded in the Mass General Adult CF Clinic, working closely with pulmonologists, dietitians, and therapists. A fluent Spanish speaker, he also has attempted to improve access to gastrointestinal care in the Latino/a community within the greater Boston area, in particular at the Mass General Chelsea site. He also studies ways to improve culturally competent care in underserved communities and better understand functional and GI motility disorder manifestation and shared decision making as well.
Having graduated from Harvard College with his bachelor’s degree, Dr. Vélez obtained his medical doctorate from the New York University School of Medicine. He completed his residency, chief residency, and GI fellowship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, finally coming to MGH to complete a formal advanced fellowship in neurogastroenterology and motility. He serves as the assistant program director of the advanced fellowship in functional and GI motility disorders at Mass General, one of only a handful of programs worldwide dedicated exclusively to enhancing subspecialty training in these conditions. Dr. Vélez is intimately involved in fellow education as well. He has authored various book chapters, peer-reviewed work, and lectured locally, regionally, and nationally on various topics related to functional and GI motility diseases.
Digestive Healthcare at Mass General
The Massachusetts General Hospital Digestive Healthcare Center is a collaborative practice of gastroenterologists, endoscopists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, hepatologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of digestive diseases.