Your GI care, explained: The role of NPs and PAs in your Oshi treatment plan

Digestive symptoms are rarely simple. They can affect everything from what you eat and how you sleep to your stress levels, energy, and daily routines. That’s why effective gastrointestinal (GI) care often requires more than a quick appointment or a one-size-fits-all treatment plan.

At Oshi, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician associates (PAs) serve as the quarterbacks of your digestive care. They’re highly trained, licensed clinicians with specialized experience in GI health who help guide your diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care. They also work closely with the rest of your care team, including registered dietitians and gut-brain specialists, to make sure your symptoms are addressed from every angle. For many patients, they become the provider who helps them feel truly heard for the first time.

Behind the scenes, Oshi gastroenterologists are available to your NP/PA provider to review care plans and consult on cases, ensuring every patient receives high-quality, evidence-based GI care.

What are NPs and PAs?

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses who complete graduate-level clinical training beyond nursing school. Physician associates (PAs) (also known as physician assistants) are trained using a medical-model approach similar to physician education. They go through extensive clinical training across different specialties and work collaboratively with doctors.

At Oshi, our NPs and PAs have specialized experience in digestive health. All have many years of clinical experience working in traditional GI care. Some have also developed particular areas of interest in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), liver disease, and women’s digestive health. Some of our GI providers have even trained medical doctors in GI care.

Both NPs and PAs are licensed clinicians who can:

• Diagnose GI conditions
• Order labs and imaging
• Prescribe medications
• Build personalized treatment plans
• Monitor your symptoms and progress over time

Benefits of working with an Oshi NP/PA

Faster access to GI care

Because Oshi patients work directly with NPs and PAs, they’re able to get expert digestive care much sooner than they would through a traditional GI referral process. Instead of waiting weeks or months for an appointment, you can get started in days. Plus, virtual visits are available on evenings and weekends, making it easier to get seen when it works best for your schedule.

More time to talk through what you’re experiencing

Oshi NPs and PAs play a hands-on role in day-to-day patient care, which allows for more in-depth conversations around symptoms, lifestyle, and treatment goals.

Digestive symptoms can be complicated and don’t always fit into a neat checklist. They can come and go, affect your sleep, energy, and relationship with food. Oshi providers take the time to understand the whole you, including how your symptoms are affecting every aspect of your life, from relationships to mealtimes, and more.

Earlier support and symptom relief

Because NPs and PAs can diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and build treatment plans, patients can start treatment right away—even if additional testing is still needed. Your provider can help you start managing symptoms now with medications, nutrition advice, or lifestyle recommendations. And they’ll work with the other GI specialists on your care team to adjust your treatment as needed.

A whole team in your corner

At Oshi, NPs and PAs don’t work alone. They collaborate closely with gastroenterologists, registered dietitians, gut-brain specialists, and care coordinators to make sure every part of your care is connected. That means you’re never left to navigate symptoms, flare-ups, or next steps alone.

What your care journey will look like

No two digestive health care plans look exactly the same. At Oshi, your care plan is personalized around your symptoms, lifestyle, health history, and treatment goals.

But here’s a general snapshot of what to expect:

Initial visit

Your provider will spend time getting to know you—not just your symptoms, but how they affect your daily life. You’ll talk through your medical history, eating habits, stress levels, symptom patterns, previous treatment, and more.

Personalized care plan

Based on your needs, your care plan may include:

• Medications
• Dietary care with a registered dietitian
• Gut-brain therapy
• Lifestyle changes

Ongoing care and easy access between visits

GI symptoms can change over time, and your treatment plan might, too.

Through follow-up visits, you can continue checking in with your care team, so they can adjust your plan, answer questions, and help you deal with setbacks or flare-ups along the way.

Accessible GI care for the whole you

Living with digestive symptoms can be exhausting, especially when getting care feels out of reach. At Oshi, convenient access to nurse practitioners and physician associates means you get expert GI care quickly for fast, lasting relief.