The Scope Forward Show is Back – Kicking Off with Dr. Michael Dragutsky

The wait is over—The Scope Forward Show returns with Season 5, and we’re starting with someone who has been at the center of GI’s transformation: Dr. Michael Dragutsky, Chairman of One GI.

A lot has changed since we last spoke. Private equity in GI has evolved. Consolidation is accelerating. AI is no longer a distant concept—it’s happening now.

Where does this leave private practice? What’s next after the first, second, and third bites of private equity? And for those who feel like they’re losing control of their practice, is there still a way forward?

Beyond business, we get into the bigger picture:

  •  AI, robotics, and liquid biopsy—where is GI really headed?

  •  When fewer endoscopists are needed, what happens next?

  •  Will endoscopists become operators of machines rather than decision-makers?

  •  Is there still room for the independent practice model?

A Bigger Question Beyond GI

At the end of our conversation, I brought up something deeper—how AI isn’t just changing medicine, but also changing us. We already rely on technology for memory, navigation, and decision-making. What happens when we no longer need to diagnose, think critically, or even perceive reality as we once did?

Dr. Dragutsky and I explore this question as it applies to GI, but it’s a much bigger shift than just gastroenterology and healthcare.