Mercy Hepatology - Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute

Why Choose Mercy Hepatology?

Hepatology is an area of medicine that focuses on diseases of the liver as well as related conditions. At Mercy Hepatology in Oklahoma City, we focus on delivering expert liver care with a care plan that’s right for you.

By the end of your visit, we’ll make sure you can understand liver test results, assess liver treatment options, manage long-term liver disease and plan for the future with confidence and peace of mind.

Complete Liver Care

The liver performs essential bodily functions every day. If test results come back abnormal or disease is found, early evaluation and a practical plan can make a meaningful difference in the long run.

At Mercy Hepatology, our team works with primary care doctors, gastroenterologists, radiologists, surgeons, nutritionists and transplant partners as needed. When you come in for care, you can count on receiving:

• Focused expertise for common and complex liver conditions
• A clear explanation of diagnosis and next steps
• Long-term care monitoring as needed

Conditions We Evaluate

Liver concerns may appear through symptoms, abnormal blood tests, imaging findings or known risk factors. The first steps are to pinpoint the cause, assess the severity and make a plan to protect your long-term health. The most common conditions we see are:

Fatty Liver and Metabolic Health

Metabolic health involves the state of your energy management system and the regulation of insulin, blood sugars and fats as well as blood pressure.

Fatty liver disease is common and often related to metabolic health factors, though it can also occur in people without them. Your care starts from day one by confirming a diagnosis and assessing your risk of fibrosis, the buildup of scar tissue from continued inflammation.

A personalized plan may include nutrition support, activity goals, diabetes or lipid management coordination, medication review and periodic monitoring. A typical care plan could include:   

• Fibrosis (liver scarring) risk assessment
• Sustainable nutrition and activity guidance
• Review of existing conditions and current medications
• Noninvasive monitoring as needed

Cirrhosis and Advanced Liver Disease

Cirrhosis, a condition resulting from long-term inflammation of the liver, requires ongoing monitoring because complications can develop with few symptoms. Our focus is prevention, early detection, education and rapid care team coordination when new problems arise.

You’ll receive guidance about your medications, nutrition, infection risk, symptom monitoring, follow-up testing and when to seek urgent care. 

Advanced Testing 

Our dedicated liver clinic at the Digestive Health Institute offers access to FibroScan, a quick, noninvasive test that measures liver stiffness and fat. This test usually takes just a few minutes, is performed without needles or sedation and uses painless sound-wave technology. Your test results will help your care team watch for liver scarring, monitor your liver health over time and decide whether more testing or treatment is needed. 

Building Sustainable Habits

Nutrition and weight management can play an important role in protecting your liver health, especially for people who are overweight and suffer from metabolic health concerns.

Our team can help you build realistic, sustainable habits that support healthy eating, physical activity, weight goals, blood sugar, cholesterol and overall well-being.

Your care will be personalized to your medical needs, medications, lifestyle and goals — with a focus on progress that sticks rather than quick fixes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Complete Digestive Health Care

Mercy’s complete digestive health care program gives you access to: 

Support Beyond the Visit

At Mercy, we know your care doesn’t stop the moment you leave our hospital. That’s why we’ve built a complete care system you can access 24/7. With digital tools like MyMercy, our free app, you can message your care team, view test results and more — all from your smartphone or computer — to get the most support beyond your visit.