columbushosp.org 9 Meet ‘Dr. M-O’ Patrice Michaletz-Onody, MD, or “Dr. M-O,” as many of her patients call her, has practiced gastroenterology for 37 years. She began offering care here in August 2025 alongside Tyler McVay, MD, a longtime specialty care provider in Columbus. “I loved science from a young age,” Dr. M-O said. “I was the kid who was fascinated by unusual bugs. In college, I majored in animal biology and thought about becoming a microbiologist or a nurse.” An advisor encouraged her to become a doctor, so she earned a medical degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha. She then completed an internal medicine residency, followed by a gastroenterology fellowship, at Baylor University in Texas, where she also taught medicine. If you need gastroenterology help, Drs. M-O and McVay and their Columbus team can help you find a solution. disease are just some of the conditions they evaluate and treat. They also specialize in managing certain liver and pancreas conditions. And whether it’s an upper endoscopy, swallowing study or colonoscopy, McVay and Michaletz-Onody can help when you need a diagnostic procedure to investigate your symptoms. But don’t wait until you have symptoms to have a screening colonoscopy (also performed by general surgeons in Columbus). If you’re at least age 45 — or younger, if you’re at high risk because of your family history or other factors — regular screening colonoscopies could save your life. “There aren’t many cancers that are truly preventable, but colon cancer is certainly one of them,” McVay said. “By getting a screening colonoscopy done in time, we can find precancerous polyps and very safely remove them right then and there, which effectively prevents colon cancer from starting.” Gaining control of your gut health It can be challenging to manage a gastrointestinal condition, but it doesn’t have to rule your life. In many cases, medications can offer relief, and lifestyle adjustments also help — such as with celiac disease. “That’s when the more gluten or wheat a patient eats, the more inflamed their gut gets,” Michaletz-Onody said. “The treatment is purely dietary. And there are other disorders where dietary management can certainly help.” If you have a condition that requires surgery, the gastroenterologists can refer you to a general surgeon at Columbus General Surgery. McVay and Michaletz-Onody are here to address a full spectrum of digestive health concerns — ensuring that expert care is never far away. See a GI doctor For an appointment, call Columbus General Surgery at 402-562-4770 or visit columbusgeneralsurgery.com/ services/gastrointestinal-treatment. scan Dr. M-O, right, began treating patients in Columbus in August.
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