Foreword: Introduction and Perspectives
As the premier meeting in digestive diseases worldwide, Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest, best attended, and best known meeting of gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal surgeons, as well as nurses, residents, and fellows who either work or are interested in the field of gastroenterology. With an annual attendance of approximately 15,000 physicians and scientists, DDW has profound reach into the gastroenterology community. This year's core meeting proceedings begin on Sunday, May 18, in Orlando, Florida, and conclude on Wednesday, May 21.

DDW was formed and continues to operate as a meeting supported by 4 societies -- the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT). Each of these societies holds its own annual meeting in close proximity to the others, while in tandem DDW organizes a number of events with participation of members from all of the organizing societies. This collaboration allows DDW to offer a comprehensive program that encompasses topics in all areas of gastroenterology, gastrointestinal physiology, pathology, hepatology, nutrition, endoscopy, and gastrointestinal surgery.

The AASLD officially initiates its program on Saturday, May 17 with its clinical research workshop "Screening in Liver Disease." As always, the AASLD hosts a number of topical and comprehensive programs, including plenary sessions, clinical symposia, and research and topic fora. Additionally, among this year's clinical offerings are several state-of-the-art lectures; highlights include "Management Options in Hepatic Encephalopathy" and "Diagnosis and Management of Cholangiocarcinoma."

The AGA also launches its program at DDW this year with its ever popular Postgraduate Course on Saturday, May 17. The AGA continues its wide breadth of multidisciplinary offerings throughout the week with its Clinical Track, plenary sessions, and the very well-attended Distinguished Abstract Plenaries. Michael Karin, MD, presents this year's Morton I. Grossman Distinguished Lecture on Tuesday, May 20: "Defining the Critical Steps for Signaling Inflammation Through the Transcription Factor NF-kappaB."

Making a return appearance at this year's meeting are the ASGE's Special Sessions. Topic highlights include "Medicolegal Issues in Endoscopy" and "Efficiency in Endoscopic Practice." The ASGE offers a broad suite of plenary sessions as well as a video forum and various topic fora -- all intended to bring topical issues in endoscopy to the fore. Additionally, the ASGE "Learning Center" features self-directed educational opportunities.

The SSAT launches its program at this year's meeting with its Postgraduate Course on Sunday, entitled "Endoscopic and Surgical Management of GI Disease: Collaboration or Competition?" The goal of this year's course is to identify disease entities that have previously been exclusively in the domain of the surgeon, but are increasingly being addressed via endoscopic procedures. That is, it focuses on the theme of minimally invasive techniques. The SSAT continues its breadth of offerings with the very popular SSAT/ASCRS (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons) symposium on Monday, "Familial Colorectal Cancer," followed by a select collection of plenary sessions and state-of-the-art lectures.

Unique features of the 2003 meeting include the Health and Nutrition Pavilion, first introduced at DDW 2002, and the new Technology Pavilion. The Technology Pavilion features high-tech solutions for physician education and clinical information management. Additionally, our new Program Session Builder has significantly reduced the overlap of topics and speakers at this year's venue.

The Combined Clinical Symposia remain one of the most popular aspects at DDW. These sessions are organized cooperatively by the participating societies, with the goal being to merge their respective expertise and address topics in a multidisciplinary fashion. This year's symposia focus on a variety of topical issues, including "Chronic Pancreatitis" and "Perianal Disorders," among others -- all of which are directed at addressing the full range of gastrointestinal diseases.

The DDW Exhibit Hall also provides an opportunity for attendees to explore the latest in technology, as presented in an area well over 100,000 square feet. "Learning corners" in the exhibit area make for a particularly attractive feature this year. And, in continuing the tradition that we started last year, participants can download the DDW Abstracts and Itinerary Planner into their handheld computers on site.

In summary, for the clinician in gastroenterology, endoscopy, or surgery -- as well as for the basic or clinical investigator -- DDW 2003 promises to raise the bar even higher for the presentation of key findings and new perspectives on the diagnosis and management of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver.