USA Health University Hospital has opened an 8,000-square-foot gastroenterology endoscopy lab with the hope of reducing wait times and expediting patient care. The lab includes Fujifilm equipment and five procedure rooms.
“The division of gastroenterology has experienced huge growth over the past few years,” said Sam Dean, administrator at University Hospital. “It soon became clear to us that the original space was not adequate to meet our volume nor the newest equipment that our providers needed for our patients.”
Once the lab opened, the hospital instituted an open access endoscopy clinic for patients in need of colon cancer screening. “The new service is operated by our advanced practice providers,” said Dr. Benjamin Niland, interim program director of the division of gastroenterology and assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. “They will perform a phone interview with the patient to determine their fitness for open access endoscopy. In this way, the patient can be prepared and scheduled for their colonoscopy procedure with a telehealth phone visit.”
The lab also will help prepare the next generation of physicians by introducing the students to the latest equipment and procedures involved in gastroenterology.
