Building trust in Gastroenterology with Dr. Kristen Miller

When Dr. Kristen Forrest Miller meets a patient for the first time, she pulls up a chair, sits down and listens.

“I want my patients to know that I’m here for them,” she said. “I work for them. I want them to feel heard. My job is to help them get to the next step so they can feel better.”

That mindset has carried the early-career gastroenterologist throughout her journey in medicine, one that began not with a stethoscope and a white coat, but at the front desk of a Roper St. Francis Healthcare physician’s office.

As Roper St. Francis Healthcare continues expanding access to high-quality, convenient care across the Lowcountry, stories like Dr. Miller’s reflect what sets the health system apart: its mission of healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence. This Black History Month, her journey — from the front desk to the exam room — is a reminder that trust in healthcare isn’t assumed. It’s built one compassionate conversation at a time.

Healing from all angles

In 2009, after graduating from college, Miller took a job as a physician office receptionist while her husband attended medical school. The couple had decided to take turns pursuing their degrees, given the demanding nature of the schooling.

As a receptionist, she was the first face a patient would see. She checked them in, made them feel comfortable and helped manage their charts. Later, she transitioned into medical coding working for Internist Dr. Robert Oliverio’s office, which gave her a deeper understanding of how clinical decisions intersect with insurance, access and follow-up care.

When she left for medical school, the office threw her a goodbye party, and Dr. Oliverio gifted her the game of Operation for “practice,” the now Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Physician Channel and Population Health joked.

The patience, planning and steadfastness she demonstrated while preparing for school spoke to Dr. Miller’s goal-oriented mindset. She always wanted to be a physician, and she saw that through to the end.

“I have a feeling that’s how she approaches patient care,” Dr. Oliverio said. “She’s going to work hard until she reaches the end goal of making her patients better.”

Those early roles taught Miller how patient care succeeds when a team works together.

“It takes the entire team,” Dr. Miller said. “From the front desk to nursing to the provider, every role matters in a patient’s experience.”

Her early exposure to healthcare, combined with personal experiences, helped shape the kind of physician she hoped to become: one who understands the system from all angles.

A calling shaped by loss

“She didn’t trust healthcare,” Dr. Miller said. “By the time she went to the doctor, her cancer had progressed to Stage 4.”

At an early age, Dr. Miller saw that mistrust was common among older generations in her family and community, shaped by a history of unethical medical practices, including the Tuskegee syphilis study, in which African American men were denied informed consent and proper treatment.

That loss helped solidify her decision to pursue a career in medicine, specifically in gastroenterology. While treating disease is a critical part of her work, her deeper focus is on prevention through education and rebuilding trust with communities where that trust has historically been broken.

“I want to be someone my patients can trust,” she said. “Someone who listens, explains and meets them where they are.”

After Dr. Miller completed medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina, she pursued a gastroenterology fellowship in Washington, D.C., where she cared for patients from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom lacked insurance or access to routine screening.

The experience was eye-opening, she said.

“I saw how, even in larger cities, those health literacy gaps and access barriers directly affected outcomes,” she shared.

Now practicing gastroenterology at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Dr. Miller sees firsthand how representation in medicine changes the patient experience, particularly for patients who have historically felt unheard or dismissed.

“Patients tell me things like, ‘I’ve never told another doctor this before,’” she said.

That trust, she noted, makes a world of difference. It is especially critical when it comes to colon cancer screening, a topic that can feel intimidating, uncomfortable or even taboo.

Meeting patients where they are

Dr. Miller is known for her patient-centered approach, particularly when patients are hesitant about procedures like colonoscopies. When she sees a patient for the first time, she asks a lot of questions and prioritizes education through visual aids and discussing options openly.

“Patient education is really important to me,” she said. “I grew up around family members who didn’t trust healthcare. I want to help close that gap.”

During her fellowship in Washington, that approach led to a powerful moment she still carries with her today. A young man in his early 20s came to her repeatedly with rectal bleeding but refused a colonoscopy. Rather than dismiss his concerns, Dr. Miller asked him to return month after month to talk through the procedure and address his fears.

After eight visits, he finally agreed.

The colonoscopy revealed early-stage rectal cancer, a treatable diagnosis because it was caught in time.

“Later, he booked an appointment just to thank me for staying on him,” she said. “That’s one of those moments I’ll never forget.”

Care doesn’t stop after diagnosis

Dr. Miller’s advocacy doesn’t end once a diagnosis is made. She routinely follows up with patients, checks on their progress and personally helps coordinate appointments when delays occur.

“Patients are already overwhelmed by access and navigating the healthcare system,” she said. “If I can help move the pieces forward, I will.”

Dr. Oliverio reflects on what her story could mean to others.

“Dr. Miller has a remarkable way of connecting with patients,” he said. “She fits our mission. I hope others see that and are inspired.”

At the end of the day, she hopes patients leave her office knowing one thing above all else: that she genuinely cares.

“I want them to feel heard,” she said.

To schedule an appointment, call 843-720-8369 or schedule online.