Welcome, doctors! If you’re thinking about adding Gastrointestinal (GI) Surgery services to your hospital, you’re taking an important step toward improving patient care. GI surgeries, like gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and esophageal stricture dilatation, play a key role in diagnosing and treating digestive system conditions. As gastrointestinal disorders become more common in India, the need for these services is growing, and by offering them, you’ll be able to help countless patients who are struggling with these often debilitating issues. Whether you’re opening a new GI surgery department or expanding your current offerings, knowing the key requirements and standards will ensure you can provide the best possible care to those in need.
In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps to set up GI surgery services, ensuring that your hospital is well-equipped, compliant, and able to provide exceptional care to patients.
The Scope of Services
To get started, you’ll need to define the scope of services your GI surgery department will offer. For non-teaching hospitals, the services should include a comprehensive range of GI procedures, such as:
- Diagnostic Gastroscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Esophageal Stricture Dilatation
These procedures are fundamental in diagnosing a variety of gastrointestinal conditions and are typically performed as part of both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. If you’re planning to go further with superspeciality services, you’ll be able to offer advanced treatments and surgeries that require highly specialized skills and equipment.
Human Resources – Building a Skilled Team
The success of your GI surgery department hinges on having the right team in place. Here’s a breakdown of the key staff required:
- Doctors:
- For the medical person in charge, you will need a Surgeon who meets the MCI/DNB guidelines or has one year of full-time training in GI surgery after obtaining a General Surgery degree. This ensures the surgeon is fully equipped to handle complex GI surgeries.
- You will also need a Critical Care Specialist/Intensivist for the ICU, as critical care support is vital for post-operative management.
- For the medical person in charge, you will need a Surgeon who meets the MCI/DNB guidelines or has one year of full-time training in GI surgery after obtaining a General Surgery degree. This ensures the surgeon is fully equipped to handle complex GI surgeries.
- Duty Doctors: Having MBBS doctors available for round-the-clock coverage is essential for any hospital, ensuring that patients have access to timely care in case of emergencies or complications.
- Nurses:
- Trained Nurses for ICU/OT/HDU: You’ll need a trained nurse for every two beds in ICU/OT/HDU to provide specialized care to post-surgical patients. This is particularly important in GI surgery, where patients may require intensive monitoring after surgery.
- Trained Nurses for ICU/OT/HDU: You’ll need a trained nurse for every two beds in ICU/OT/HDU to provide specialized care to post-surgical patients. This is particularly important in GI surgery, where patients may require intensive monitoring after surgery.
- Pharmacist: It’s mandatory to have a pharmacist on staff to ensure the safe dispensing of medications and proper management of pharmaceutical supplies.
- Para-Medical Staff:
- Lab Technicians: If your hospital provides its own laboratory services, a lab technician is essential for processing and analyzing tests, particularly for GI-related conditions.
- X-ray Technicians: If you’re operating an in-house radiology unit, having an X-ray Technician on-site is crucial for diagnostic imaging.
- OT Technicians: You’ll need OT Technicians with specialized training in GI surgery to assist in setting up and maintaining sterile conditions during surgeries.
- ECG Technicians: ECG Technicians are important for monitoring patients’ cardiac health during and after surgery.
- Dietician: A dietician is mandatory in your GI surgery unit, as nutrition plays a critical role in recovery after surgery.
- Physiotherapist: A physiotherapist is also mandatory to help with rehabilitation and recovery, especially for patients who undergo complex surgeries.
- Psychologist and medical social worker: These roles are desirable for advanced GI surgery departments to support patients’ mental and social well-being throughout their treatment journey.
- Lab Technicians: If your hospital provides its own laboratory services, a lab technician is essential for processing and analyzing tests, particularly for GI-related conditions.
Required Equipment
Having the right equipment is crucial for providing safe and effective GI surgery services. Here’s a list of essential equipment for your department:
- Therapeutic Equipment: ABG or arterial blood gas machines are a must-have for monitoring patient oxygenation and carbon dioxide levels during surgery.
- Surgical Equipment: Surgical tray sets are mandatory for every GI surgery to ensure that all instruments are sterile and ready for use.
- Diagnostic Equipment: You’ll need diagnostic tools for gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and sigmoidoscopy, including specialized scopes for advanced GI procedures.
- Emergency Equipment: In case of emergencies, make sure you have the required emergency equipment. This includes medications and medical devices as outlined in your hospital’s emergency protocols.
- Sterilizing Equipment: Having a sterilization facility (autoclave) is essential for keeping surgical instruments sterile and safe to use.
- Drugs and Medical Consumables: You will need emergency drugs and other consumables required for GI surgeries, such as anesthetic agents, antibiotics, and disposables like surgical drapes and gloves.
- Maintenance Records: Regular maintenance of all equipment is desirable, so keep annual maintenance records to ensure everything is in optimal working condition.
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Support Services
Your hospital will also need comprehensive support services to ensure smooth operations.
- Laboratory Services: Whether you run your own lab or outsource these services, you’ll need reliable diagnostic facilities to conduct necessary tests like blood work, stool samples, and biopsies.
- Imaging Services: A portable ultrasound machine should be available, with a qualified radiologist available on-call to support your diagnostic and surgical needs.
- Pharmacy: An on-site pharmacy is essential for dispensing medications and supplies during and after surgeries.
- Sterilization (CSSD): A central sterilization service department or CSSD will ensure that all surgical instruments and equipment are sterile before use.
- Medical Gas/Manifold: You’ll need a medical gas manifold for oxygen and other gases required for surgeries and patient care.
- Blood Storage Unit/Blood Bank: Having an in-house blood storage unit or blood bank is mandatory for any major surgeries, especially when dealing with extensive gastrointestinal procedures that may involve significant blood loss.
- Ambulance Services: It’s mandatory to have ambulance services in place for transportation, either through an in-house facility or an outsourced arrangement.
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Wrapping it Up
Opening a GI surgery service at your hospital is an important and rewarding step in expanding your healthcare offerings.
By following these guidelines and ensuring you meet the necessary human resource, equipment, and support service requirements, you’ll be well-equipped to provide the highest level of care to patients in need of GI treatments and surgeries.
We hope this guide serves as a helpful roadmap as you move forward with setting up your GI surgery department. Best of luck in your new endeavor to improve patient care and expand your hospital’s capabilities!
