BIO

Whitney Steinmetz is a board-certified family nurse practitioner who provides patient-focused and evidence-based gastroenterology and hepatology care. She has a passion for collaborative healthcare teams, quality improvement initiatives, and improving access to care in rural healthcare environments. Dr. Steinmetz earned her bachelor's of science degree with honors, Magna Cum Laude, at the University of Arizona. She worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital before earning her master's degree from the University of Maryland, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and was the recipient of the Excellence in Family Nurse Practitioner Award and Sigma Theta Tau Master's Student scholarship. She received her doctorate (DNP) from Johns Hopkins University and conducted quality improvement research in hepatology. She is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and has been published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, American Journal of Nurse Practitioners, and the textbook “Primary Care Interprofessional Collaborative Practice”. She has curated educational content in gastroenterology & hepatology through ACG and GHAPP. She is a national speaker and has given lectures for the AGA, GHAPP, AASLD, AANP, and Association for Radiologic & Imaging Nurses. Recent awards include her organizational annual “2024 Clinical Excellence Award” and the AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions for the state of NM in 2025.

MASLD-MASH Content Featuring Whitney

Related Content

Serological Workup: A Step-by-Step Guide

July 2025

In this comprehensive video, Sherona Bau, NP from UCLA, breaks down the essential hepatology workup for patients with MASLD (formerly NAFLD) and MASH, offering guidance for both primary care providers and GI/hepatology specialists. Drawing from her extensive clinical experience, she outlines a systematic approach to evaluating abnormal liver ultrasound findings—starting with critical labs to rule out chronic liver conditions like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, autoimmune hepatitis, PBC, and hereditary hemochromatosis. Sherona discusses the importance of ordering ANA, AMA, ferritin, serologies, and even specialized labs like the phosphatidylethanol (PEth) test to uncover alcohol-related liver disease that may be overlooked. She emphasizes the need to screen for cardiometabolic risk factors including type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia and highlights non-invasive tests such as FibroScan and FIB-4 to help identify patients at risk of advanced fibrosis who may benefit from specialist referral. Most importantly, Sherona addresses the fears many patients face around liver disease progression and life expectancy, encouraging early intervention and coordinated care to improve long-term outcomes. This video is a must-watch for any clinician managing steatotic liver disease.

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Podcast: PCP Screening for MASH/MASLD: Identifying At-Risk Patients

July 2025

In this essential podcast episode from the GHAPP MASLD/MASH Community Network, Summer Collier, NP at UC San Diego Health, dives into the critical role that primary care providers and advanced practice providers play in recognizing and managing MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) and its progressive form, MASH (Metabolic-associated steatohepatitis). With MASLD affecting a growing number of patients—many undiagnosed—Summer walks through practical strategies for early identification, starting with high-risk individuals such as those with type 2 diabetes, obesity, or metabolic syndrome. She highlights the use of the FIB-4 index as a quick, validated, and guideline-recommended first-line screening tool, and explains how to interpret FIB-4 results to stratify risk and determine next steps, including ELF testing, FibroScan®, or referral to GI/hepatology. Summer also offers actionable workflow tips to integrate liver screening into routine primary care, like embedding FIB-4 calculators in EMRs or incorporating assessments into annual diabetes visits. This episode is a must-listen for clinicians seeking to prevent liver fibrosis progression and liver cancer through early, proactive care.

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