“My role is to ensure the smooth operation of our clinical services and to maintain the highest standards of care for patients with digestive diseases or disorders who seek care with us,” he said.
Dr. Cash, who joined USA Health in 2013, said his short-term goals for the division are to enhance the offerings in multiple clinical areas and to achieve greater regional and national recognition for the division’s quality of care and academic achievements.
“I want our division to continue to pursue and enhance its already excellent research and educational initiatives, not only from a discovery point of view, but also from a practice improvement and regional leader position,” Dr. Cash said. “We have resources at our disposal that most practices in the community do not, and we have an obligation to improve our patients’ quality of life.”
Dr. Cash also has extensive long-term goals, including working with USA leadership and colleagues to develop a fully functional and integrated Digestive Diseases Center of Excellence. “The Center would be comprised of providers and researchers from multiple diverse specialties, located in close proximity to each other to maximize effective and coordinated patient care, enhance the education of our trainees and foster collaborative research initiatives,” he said.
Dr. Cash credits his experiences in the U.S Navy for providing a solid background for his new position. “Through my various roles in military medicine I learned that one has to create a shared vision in order to lead effectively,” he said. “Actively demonstrating a passion and respect for our mission, colleagues and coworkers is also critically important.”
Dr. Cash served in the U.S Navy for 24 years, retiring in 2013. “The transition from the socialized form of medicine that we practice in the military to the larger world of medicine has been an eye opener for me,” Dr. Cash explained. “The essential practice of medicine and definitions of quality are the same everywhere, and these are two of the areas where USA really shines.”
Dr. Cash earned his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. He completed his internship, residency and fellowship training in gastroenterology at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Dr. Cash is a Diplomat of the American Board of Gastroenterology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), American Gastroenterology Association and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He has chaired numerous professional society committees and has been course director for national and regional ACG postgraduate meetings. Dr. Cash has served on the Rome Committee for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and has authored over 150 articles and book chapters on a wide variety of gastrointestinal topics. He serves as an associate editor for the American Journal of Gastroenterology, an editorial board member and reviewer for multiple internal medicine and gastroenterology medical journals and is a sought-after presenter at national and international medical education meetings.
Last month, Dr. Cash was awarded the William D. Carey Award from the ACG for his outstanding leadership and work in gastroenterology. Click here to learn more.
