Home > Kenneth J. Chang, MD

Kenneth J. Chang, MD

  • Executive Medical Director, Hoag Digestive Health Institute
  • Gastroenterology

Location:

Dr. Chang practices gastroenterology in Newport Beach:

500 Superior Ave., Suite 100
Newport Beach, CA 92663

To make an appointment with a DHI provider or speak with a member of the DHI team, call 949-764-5760

“The future of digestive health care is on the horizon, and Hoag is at the forefront of research and innovation to bring the latest medical and interventional technologies to Orange County. I look forward to working with Hoag to create a place where innovation fueled by compassion is the driving force behind everything we do for our patients and the community.” – Dr. Kenneth Chang

Kenneth J. Chang, M.D., M.A.S.G.E., A.G.A.F., F.A.C.G., F.J.G.E.S., F.A.F.S is joining Hoag as the Executive Medical Director of the Digestive Health Institute. He will lead Orange County’s largest digestive health programs and services in expanding the delivery of world-class care. Dr. Chang is a world-renown researcher, inventor, advanced endoscopist and pioneer in the field of interventional endoscopy and endoscopic oncology. He is a board-certified gastroenterologist, who is fellowship trained in gastroenterology and hepatology, and specializes in Interventional Endoscopy, Endoscopic Oncology, Endo-Hepatology, Endo-Bariatrics, and Endoscopic Treatment for GERD and motility disorders. 

Dr. Chang attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where he received his combined bachelor’s degree in biology and medical degree. Dr. Chang completed his internship and residency in general internal medicine at Rhode Island Hospital and went on to pursue an academic fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Chang comes to Hoag from the University of California, Irvine, where he practiced for 30 years, building and launching UCI’s Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center and Digestive Health Institute, pioneering numerous breakthrough technologies, publishing over 480 scientific articles, abstracts, book chapters and textbooks, as well as training and mentoring over 50 national and international advanced fellows who are now leaders in their respective regions. 

Awarded the Vincent and Anna Kong endowed Chair in GI Endoscopic Oncology in 2013, Dr. Chang’s clinical and research passion has focused on innovating new endoscopic diagnostic and interventional management and cure of Digestive Cancers as well as the pre-cancerous conditions that lead to tumor growth.  Pre-cancerous and early stage cancer can now be treated and cured by way of endoscopic ablation and resection techniques, including radio-frequency ablation (RFA), endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD); all of which he has mastered.  He considers acid reflux (GERD), obesity, and diabetes as pre-pre-cancerous conditions – hence his efforts to treat these conditions using novel endoscopic approaches, such as Trans-oral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG). 

As a result, Dr. Chang has developed numerous devices that have touched the lives of patients globally.  This would include: 1) Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) for diagnosing and staging tumors in the pancreas, liver, mediastinum and lymph nodes 2) Endoscopic Radio-frequency Ablation (RFA) for the treatment of Barrett’s Esophagus, which bears the name “Chang Cap” due to his contributions; it is the world’s most popular device for treating and curing Barrett’s 3) Endoscopic Treatment for Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), being the world’s leading authority and trainer for Trans-oral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) and 4) EUS-guided Portal Pressure Gradient (PPG) measurement and Endo-Hepatology – which can assess liver health, quantify liver fibrosis leading to cirrhosis, and determine degree of inflammation caused by fat in the liver (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH).

Dr. Chang is one of few physicians nationally who has expertise in some of the most advanced endoscopic modalities, such as: Per-oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for Achalasia, Zenker’s per-oral cricopharyngeal myotomy (Z-POEM), Gastric Per-oral Endoscopic Pyloro-myotomy (G-POEM), Trans-oral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF), Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty and Revisions (ESG/TORe), Endo-Hepatology including EUS-Liver Biopsy and EUS-portal pressure gradient measurement (EUS-PPG), Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD).

Throughout his career, Dr. Chang has been recognized with honors and awards as a prominent researcher and pioneer in digestive health. For over 15 consecutive years, he has been named on the Southern California Super Doctors list and recognized as a Physician of Excellence by the Orange County Medical Association. In 2021, he was celebrated as the Orange County Business Journal Innovator of the Year Award Winner.

Dr. Chang is actively involved in organizations on a national and international level including the American College of Physicians, American College of Gastroenterology (Fellow), American Gastroenterological Association (Fellow), American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (Master; awarded Master Endoscopist in 2022), American Foregut Society (Founding Board Member and Fellow; awarded Distinguished Service Award), Natural Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research, Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Japan Gastroenterological Society, Bockus International Society of Gastroenterology, Christian Medical Society, Orange County Gastroenterology Society and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons.

Finally, Dr. Chang comes to Hoag with a proven leadership track record – where his “servant-leader” posture and his “we before me” approach will be instrumental in further strengthening and expanding the world-class physicians and staff of Hoag’s Digestive Health Institute.