Masterclass: EndoQuest - Endoscopy in the GI Unit (Live/Virtual) | September 2025-Fundamentals of the Endoscopy Department

Pdf Summary

This presentation by Jordan Hughes, MSN, RN, Associate Director of Endoscopy at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of managing an Endoscopy Department.<br /><br />Key objectives include understanding various endoscopic procedures—diagnostic (EGD with biopsy, colonoscopy with polypectomy), therapeutic (hemostasis, dilation, ERCP with stent placement), screening, surveillance, and palliative care. Understanding procedure indications helps guide team planning, anticipate adverse outcomes, improve patient education, and direct the cancer care journey.<br /><br />From a managerial perspective, core fundamentals cover staffing models aligned with ASPAN and SGNA recommendations to ensure daily operational needs, avoid burnout, and manage overtime. Regulatory requirements involve facility design elements such as emergency utilities, ventilation, reprocessing areas, patient assessments (ASA score), timeouts, sedation credentialing, and emergency equipment.<br /><br />Strict adherence to AAMI ST91 guidelines ensures high-level disinfection and reprocessing of flexible endoscopes via steps including precleaning, leak testing, manual cleaning, inspection, disinfection, drying, and storage. Orientation, competencies, and credentialing for staff incorporate multimodal learning, hands-on training, and include initial and annual competency assessments plus certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS).<br /><br />Efficient workflows span scheduling (anticipating growth, urgency classification), pre-admission testing with individualized instructions to reduce delays, pre-procedure assessments, intra-procedure multidisciplinary communication and specimen handling, and post-procedure recovery emphasizing safety, pain/nausea control, and discharge preparation following ASPAN standards. Follow-up includes pathology review and repeat procedure scheduling.<br /><br />Key performance metrics for improving operations and patient care are patient volume and access, on-time starts, turnaround times, template utilization, bowel prep quality, withdrawal times, adenoma detection rates, and patient satisfaction.<br /><br />Creating a high reliability team involves clearly defined roles, strong team dynamics, closed-loop communication, proactive problem-solving, joint education initiatives, and data-driven goal setting to optimize efficiency and outcomes in endoscopy services.

Asset Subtitle

Jordan Hughes MSN, RN

Keywords

Endoscopy Department Management

Endoscopic Procedures

Staffing Models

Regulatory Compliance

High-Level Disinfection

Staff Training and Credentialing

Workflow Optimization

Performance Metrics

Patient Care Quality

Team Dynamics and Communication