Welcome, doctors! If you’re considering expanding your healthcare facility to include gastroenterology services, you’re embarking on an important and rewarding journey. Gastrointestinal diseases are on the rise in India, making access to quality gastroenterology care crucial. Whether you’re opening a new gastroenterology department or adding it to your existing hospital, it’s essential to understand the standards and requirements necessary to ensure that your practice offers the best care possible.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key considerations for setting up a gastroenterology service, from the scope of services you’ll provide to the human resources and equipment needed to create a successful and compliant gastroenterology practice.
Defining the Scope of Services
The first step in setting up a gastroenterology department is determining the scope of services you’ll offer. For a basic or general-purpose hospital, you’ll be focusing on essential procedures like gastroscopy and colonoscopy, which are commonly used to diagnose conditions affecting the stomach, esophagus, and colon.
If you’re aiming for an advanced or non-teaching gastroenterology department, you’ll need to provide a broader range of services, including advanced gastroenterology procedures such as endoscopic ultrasound (EU scope), advanced colonoscopies, and other specialized diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Human Resources – Building Your Team
To provide top-tier gastroenterology services, a skilled team is essential. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Doctors:
- For the Basic (General Purpose) hospital, the medical person in charge should have an MD or DNB in medicine or Pediatrics, along with certified training in endoscopy (minimum of six months).
- For the Advanced (non-teaching) setup, a gastroenterologist with an MD/DNB in medicine and a DM/DNB in gastroenterology is mandatory. This specialization ensures that your hospital is capable of handling complex gastroenterology cases.
- For the Basic (General Purpose) hospital, the medical person in charge should have an MD or DNB in medicine or Pediatrics, along with certified training in endoscopy (minimum of six months).
- Duty Doctors: It’s mandatory to have MBBS doctors providing round-the-clock coverage for inpatient care. They will handle general medical needs and assist in emergencies.
- Nurses:
- Nursing Head: You’ll need a qualified nursing head as per the Nursing Council guidelines to manage the nursing staff.
- General Nurses: These are essential for patient care across departments.
- Trained Nurses for ICU/OT/HDU: If you’re setting up a high-end unit for complex procedures, having trained nurses for specialized care in ICU, OT, or HDU is crucial.
- Nursing Head: You’ll need a qualified nursing head as per the Nursing Council guidelines to manage the nursing staff.
- Pharmacist: Although it’s desirable for basic hospitals, in advanced setups, having a pharmacist ensures safe medication management and support.
- Para-Medical Staff:
- Lab Technician: Essential if you’re offering diagnostic services such as biopsies or stool tests.
- X-ray Technician: You’ll need a trained X-ray technician, especially if your hospital has its own imaging services.
- Gastroenterology Technician: Ensure you have a Gastroenterology-trained technician for procedures such as endoscopies, colonoscopies, and other diagnostic tests.
- ECG Technician: While not mandatory, an ECG technician may be helpful for patient monitoring.
- Lab Technician: Essential if you’re offering diagnostic services such as biopsies or stool tests.
- Dietician: In gastroenterology, dieticians are particularly helpful in managing patients with gastrointestinal disorders that require nutritional support. For an advanced hospital, this becomes mandatory.
- Physiotherapist: If you’re focusing on advanced gastroenterology, a physiotherapist can help patients who need rehabilitation after procedures or surgeries.
- Medicosocial Worker: Medicosocial workers can assist patients in managing chronic conditions like liver cirrhosis, though this role is desirable for advanced settings.
Required Equipment
Having the right equipment is critical for delivering safe and effective gastroenterology services. Here’s a breakdown of the essential tools:
- Therapeutic Equipment:
- Gastroscopes and colonoscopes are the backbone of diagnostic procedures in gastroenterology.
- For advanced procedures, you will need endoscopic ultrasound (EU scope) with digital fluoroscopy for more detailed imaging of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Gastroscopes and colonoscopes are the backbone of diagnostic procedures in gastroenterology.
- Surgical Equipment:
- Cardiac monitors, defibrillators, and sengstaken tubes are necessary in case of emergency during endoscopic or surgical interventions.
- Cardiac monitors, defibrillators, and sengstaken tubes are necessary in case of emergency during endoscopic or surgical interventions.
- Diagnostic Equipment: You’ll need basic diagnostic tools like biopsy equipment for obtaining tissue samples during procedures.
- Emergency Equipment: As part of an advanced gastroenterology setup, ensure that your hospital has emergency drugs like terlipressin, along with sengstaken tubes for esophageal varices treatment.
- Sterilizing Equipment: Maintaining a sterile environment is key, so ensure that you have sterilization facilities (autoclaving) in place.
- Drugs, Medical Devices, and Consumables: Stock essential emergency drugs and medical devices required during procedures. Keep a list of disposables that will be needed for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
- Maintenance Records: Regular maintenance of your equipment is vital for patient safety and regulatory compliance, so keep annual maintenance records for all equipment.
Support Services
Support services play a crucial role in ensuring smooth operations and high-quality patient care. Here’s what you need:
- Pharmacy: You will need an on-site pharmacy for both basic and advanced setups. In the advanced hospital, the pharmacy is mandatory to support the range of medications required during treatments.
- Sterilization (CSSD): A central sterilization service department (CSSD) is necessary for sterilizing medical tools, endoscopes, and other equipment used in procedures.
- Medical Gas Supply: Ensure you have an adequate medical gas management system for oxygen and other gases in both basic and advanced setups.
- Blood Storage Unit/Blood Bank: For advanced gastroenterology services, a blood bank can be desirable, especially when dealing with procedures that may require blood transfusions.
- Ambulance Services: Ensure that your hospital is equipped with ambulance services, either in-house or outsourced, for transporting patients who need immediate care.
Wrapping it Up
Opening a gastroenterology service at your hospital or adding it to your existing facility is a highly impactful way to serve a growing patient population with gastrointestinal issues.
By adhering to the guidelines above and ensuring that you have the right equipment, skilled team, and support services, you’ll be well on your way to offering high-quality gastroenterology care.
We hope this guide helps you as you embark on this rewarding journey of improving patient care and advancing your practice. Best of luck with your new endeavour!
See Also: How To Open Your Own Level 1A and 1B Hospitals In India: A Complete Guide For Doctors
