At SCLC, our patients mean the world to us. That’s why we developed a unique process called H.A.L.O. (Health And Liver Optimization) to help our patients reach their goals, regardless of their conditions.
The Process
- History and physical by Board-Certified Hepatologist
- Review of medical records
- Diagnostic evaluation
- Therapeutic planning with patient
- Lifestyle modification assistance
- Close follow-up schedule with careful monitoring
What We Can Do For You
- General Gastroenterology
- Hepatitis B&C
- Liver Fibrosis Program
- Gastric Reflux
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Liver Transplantation
- Women’s Gastroenterology Health
- Motility
- Clinic Trials
The First Step To Healing
If you have a GI or liver disease, seeing a board-certified gastroenterologist and hepatologist is the first step toward wellness. At SCLC, we partner with patients, referring doctors, and the industry to provide the most advanced approaches and techniques for GI and liver disease.
Our Patients Matter
At SCLC, we love our patients…and the feeling is mutual! That’s because we treat each patient individually – we never take a cookie-cutter approach – and our patients appreciate that.
Real Patients. Real Stories.
We measure our success by patient satisfaction with our services and the care they have received at our Centers. At SCLC, we believe a patient who is satisfied with their care will have an easier journey to wellness.
Leading Edge
Southern California GI & Liver Centers (SCLC) are California’s leading private centers for the management of GI and liver diseases. And with seven offices to serve you, Southern California GI & Liver Centers are strategically located for your convenience.
Our Difference
What makes us different? Here are just some of our differences:
- We bring academia to the community setting.
- Our seven providers have unparalleled experience and expertise.
- Our unique HALO process allows us to partner with patients, referring doctors, and industry experts to help each patient reach his/her goal.
Healthy Liver…Happy Life
Follow These Simple Steps to Wellness:
Schedule A Consultation
Meet With Our Liver Specialists
Design Your Treatment Plan
Embrace Wellness
Our Services
We provide a number of different services geared to gastrointestinal and liver disease patients, including the following specialty areas:
Viral hepatitis
Obesity and liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease
Autoimmune liver disease
Liver cancer
Liver transplantation
HALO
Like a GPS guiding me.
“The team here is like guardian angels to lead me to liver treatment. They’re like my GPS guiding me!"
There is hope.
“Two years and two months ago I was ‘dead’ in the hospital with not much hope of recovery. And now for over two years, I’ve been at work every day full time and I do more things now than I did before. There is hope as long as you make the right decisions and stick with them.”
Highly, highly recommended.
“When we were diagnosed we were both very young and led a very healthy lifestyle. Our liver diagnosis came as quite a shock. Our primary care physician directed us to the Southern California Liver Centers. We went online and did our research and found that Dr. Hassanein and the Liver Centers were highly, highly recommended and highly reputable. We were absolutely thrilled that we could come here. They’re just amazing people. Very caring and compassionate.”
I’m not afraid anymore.
“One of my friends told me ‘You have to go see Dr. Hassanein, he does miracles.’ After just two weeks… I stopped taking anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications because I couldn’t sleep without them. Now I’m sleeping normal sleep! I wake up in the morning feeling good about myself. I’m not afraid anymore. It’s such a relief!”
Like guardian angels.
“The team here at Southern California Liver Centers are like guardian angels. When I met Dr. Hassanein, one of the things he said to me – and this just blew me out of the water – he bent over and he whispered to me ‘My job is to cure you.’ And I thought ‘this guy is talking my language!’ His staff was such a blessing, too. They were so full of encouragement and I think they recognized the fear that was in me.”
They look at the patient as a person.
“What’s unique about this team is that they look at the patient as a person, and they connect on all different levels. They provide the hope, the encouragement, and the commitment to support the patient through treatment. Dr. Hassanein and his staff are so committed to taking care of me in every way – physically and emotionally. "
Your Wellness Consultation: The First Step
It’s easy to begin your journey to health with SCLC. Just click to get started.
Providing Academic Level Care Delivered
at the Community Level
Our SCLC providers come from academic medicine, having taught GI and Liver disease to generations of young physicians. We have translated this expertise into a comfortable, private experience where we treat patients with the utmost care and compassion. Our offices are conveniently located in Chula Vista, El Cajon, El Centro, Coronado, San Clemente, Riverside and Palm Springs in order to serve all of Southern California and beyond. Click below to schedule your consultation!
Meet Our Leadership Team
Tarek Hassanein, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF, FAASLD
Dr. Tarek Hassanein is board certified in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Transplant Hepatology. Dr. Hassanein specializes in treating viral hepatitis…(Read more)
Julio Gutierrez, MD, MS
Dr. Gutierrez is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCSD and the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. He also serves as the Associate Director of Metabolic…(Read more)
Norman Gitlin, MD, FRCP, FACP, FACG
Norman Gitlin, MD, FRCP, FACP, FACG, is formerly professor of medicine and formerly chief of hepatology at Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Gitlin also …(Read more)
Renee Pozza, PhD, FNP-BC, FAASLD
Dr. Pozza is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, and is an expert in the field of hepatology, specializing in viral hepatitis and adherence. Dr. Pozza has over 20 years…(Read more)
Anna Marie Hefner, PhD, MaEd, CPNP
Anna Maria is a board-certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and expert nurse in the field of Hepatology, specializing in fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Sheis an Associate…(Read more)
Catherine McCoy-Hill, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNS, ANP
Catherine is a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), and is an expert in the field of hepatology, specializing in end-stage liver disease and…(Read more)
Katherine Hall, PhD, FNP-BC
Katherine is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner who specializes in treating patients with liver disease, and caring for patients before and after liver transplantation. Katherine has a passion…(Read more)
Additional Providers
Joanie Salotti, ANP-C
Elizabeth Butler, PA
Ignacio Guadaramma, NP