Hey there, I’m Blake! CEO and co-founder of Fathom and fellow Crohnie.
Welcome to the very first edition of The Fathom Digest.
We're the team behind Fathom, your AI wellness companion for IBD, and we're excited to bring you monthly insights that actually matter for your health journey. No fluff, no medical jargon, just real talk about living well with IBD.
This edition, we're diving into something big: The 2025 IBD guidelines just dropped, and they're game changing.
For years, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) care meant laser focus on your gut. But here's what we now know: people with IBD are twice as likely to face depression and anxiety. We're at higher risk for everything from osteoporosis to certain cancers. The new guidelines make major callouts to what we've been feeling all along: IBD affects your whole body, not just your digestive system.
The biggest shift? Your gastroenterologist is now expected to quarterback your entire health team. Instead of the usual specialist shuffle, they're recommended to coordinate with your primary care doc, mental health professionals, and other specialists to see the full picture.
Annual mental health screening is now recommended (and it's about time!). Annual depression and anxiety checks are highly recommended by the American College of Gastroenterology because here's the kicker: treating your mental health can actually improve your physical IBD symptoms. It's a two-way street that we're finally acknowledging.
The treatment approach is getting smarter too. The guidelines push for personalized risk assessment that drives treatment decisions. Instead of the old "step-up" approach where you slowly escalate treatments, they're recognizing that some patients benefit from more aggressive therapy right from the start. Your specific disease characteristics, risk factors, and life circumstances should shape your treatment plan, not some generic protocol.
Here's what really excites us at Fathom: tracking is finally getting the respect it deserves. The guidelines emphasize patient-reported outcomes and experience measures as critical data points. Your daily symptom logs, quality of life assessments, and treatment responses aren't just nice-to-have, they're essential for making informed care decisions! Digital tools for tracking (hey, that's us!) are specifically called out as key components of modern IBD care. When you track consistently, you're not just journaling, you're creating valuable data that helps your care team personalize your treatment.
And what really caught my eye: The guidelines tackle a harsh truth that IBD patients often get less preventive care than everyone else, even though we need it more. Now, your GI is positioned to fix that gap. When they recommend a screening or preventive measure, you're way more likely to follow through. That psychology is now built into the care model.
Most importantly, these guidelines treat you as a partner, not a patient. Your symptom tracking matters. Your quality of life matters. Your voice in treatment decisions matters. (This is exactly why we built Fathom - to help you capture and share these insights with your care team.)
Living with Crohn's myself, I've experienced the frustration of compartmentalized care. Having one doctor who sees the full picture? That's the dream and I love these new guidelines.
Here's the thing though: These guidelines are fresh off the press. Your GI team might still be catching up. That's okay! This is your chance to be part of the change. Bring up these new recommendations. Ask about mental health support. Share your symptom patterns. The guidelines give you the backing to advocate for the comprehensive care you deserve.
TLDR
Your GI is your healthcare quarterback
The guidelines officially position gastroenterologists as coordinators of your entire care team and not just gut specialists. They're now encouraged to connect you with mental health support, preventive care, and other specialists.
Mental health is critical
Annual depression/anxiety screening is now required. Why? Because mental health directly impacts our IBD outcomes.
Your care, your way
Generic protocols are out. Personalized risk assessment is in. Your specific factors drive your care plan.
Digestible Tip
Start the conversation with your GI team:
"I've been reading about the 2025 IBD guidelines emphasizing holistic care. Can we talk about incorporating mental health screening and preventive care into my treatment plan?"
Your care team wants to help. Developing a strong, collaborative relationship with them can go a long way and seems to be a core focus of these new guidelines!
We’re building an AI wellness companion and journaling app for IBD patients and we love that these guidelines align with ongoing preventative care, mental health focus, and more tracking to help manage our disease. Learn more and sign up for our launch mailing list at: https://fathom.care.
Have thoughts on this edition? We'd love to hear from you.
Cheers,
The Fathom Team