- Family PracticeToni graduated from Saint Francis College in Loretto, Pennsylvania in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Her experience includes the practice of Cardiology, Nephrology and Physical Medicine and Rehab at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation as well as many years of Family Practice in the Pittsburgh area. She is a retired Major in the Army National Guard, serving as a physician assistant for 21 years. Toni joined PGA back in 2009 and spent over seven years with us. She transitioned to Hospital Medicine for several years before returning to Gastroenterology in 2022.
- Emergency CareIn the event of a true emergency, using your telephone Dial 911 and report to your nearest emergency department. The Emergency Room physician will begin evaluation and treatment and will contact our doctor-on-call. You should notify your family physician also.
- ColonoscopyPrompted by an alarming rise in colorectal cancer in younger people, the national guideline recently changed and lowered the age for initiation of screening colonoscopy to 45 years. Most insurance carriers now will cover colonoscopy at age 45. Please confirm coverage with your insurance carrier. We strongly recommend following this guideline. You can Request a Procedure today.
- Diarrhea
- Internal MedicineDr. Clarke was raised in the Washington, D.C. area and attended the University of Virginia for undergraduate and medical school. He attended the University of North Carolina for internal medicine residency, where he was awarded the Chairman's Award for scholarly excellence and consistent delivery of high quality care. While at UNC, Dr. Clarke researched Crohn's disease with national leaders in the field of inflammatory bowel disease.
- GastroenterologyDavid Lee Folk received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Robert Morris University in 2010. He developed experience as an RN on the surgical trauma unit at Ruby Memorial Hospital in West Virginia, followed by four years at St. Clair Hospital while a doctoral candidate in the DNP program of Robert Morris University. Lee completed his clinical doctorate in nursing practice at RMU in 2015, and joined Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates shortly after as a certified family nurse practitioner. During his time with PGA, Lee has primarily served in the outpatient setting, seeing patients for GI consultation and follow-up at our offices in Upper St. Clair and Monongahela. He enjoys spending time with his young family, mowing his lawn, and playing his drums whenever he gets the chance.
- Nephrology
- Colon CancerDr. Pagano’s clinical interests include the diagnosis and treatment of upper intestinal and colon disorders as well as screening for colon cancer. He has the privilege of caring for the GI needs of many patients with celiac sprue and inflammatory bowel disease.
- EndoscopyActive Medical Staff Member: UPMC/Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, St. Clair Hospital, Spartan Health Surgicenter, South Hills Endoscopy Center
- UltrasoundThis procedure is an outpatient procedure used to examine your esophageal and stomach linings as well as the walls of your upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. During an EUS examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract, a narrow ultrasound endoscope is placed into your throat and advanced through your upper gastrointestinal tract. During an EUS examination of the lower gastrointestinal tract, a narrow ultrasound endoscope is placed into your rectum and advanced through your lower gastrointestinal tract. If necessary a needle biopsy of a lesion or drainage of a cyst may be performed.
- MRIThis is an outpatient procedure used to examine your small intestine. When you arrive at our office, a sensor array is applied to your abdomen. You will then swallow a video capsule which will pass through your digestive tract while transmitting video images to a data recorder that you are wearing close to your waist. The examination takes approximately eight hours after the capsule is ingested. You will return to the physician’s office at the end of the day to return the data recorded and sensor array. The images acquired during the exam will be downloaded to a workstation for your physician to review. After ingesting the capsule and until it is excreted, you should not have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination or be in the vicinity of an MRI machine.
- X-Rays
- Cyst
- LesionsAn EUS is commonly used to evaluate a pancreatic cyst, pancreatic mass, certain abnormal CT or ultrasound findings, lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract or rectum, bile duct dilation without a mass.