Although the pandemic is still ongoing in 2021, particularly in the U.S., endoscopists have resumed urgent and elective procedures that had to be postponed during the worst of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic had a vast impact and necessitated a worldwide response. However, getting things back to normal is likely to come on a country-by-country, state-by-state and in some cases, city-by-city basis. Endoscopy falls squarely into that reality. Non-emergent, endoscopic procedures were among the many “elective” procedures suspended when the pandemic reached full fervor in mid-March 2020 and continued well into the remaining months of the 2020 year. Unfortunately, the escalating burden of gastrointestinal disorders, leading to increased demand for upper as well as lower GI endoscopy procedures does not wait for a virus.

Increasing geriatric population, susceptible to suffer from gastrointestinal diseases will continue to necessitate a need for these diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. American geriatric population was around 46 million in 2016 and is estimated to reach 98 million by 2060. The drastic increase in elderly population will have significant impact on the endoscopy industry growth in addition to other patient populations who are diagnosed with various GI disorders. Maintaining education and information on various GI disease states and procedures is more critical now than ever. Micro-Tech and ASGE have worked together in identifying key resources that will help Micro-Tech representatives be informed and help the GI community as it continues to serve the GI population. Resources include the following:

1. ASGE On-Line ARIA: GI Introduction of the GI Tract: (~30 min)
2. ASGE On-Line ARIA: Tools of the Gastroenterologist: (~90 min)
3. First Year Fellows: Diagnostic Upper Endoscopy (28 min)
4. First Year Fellows: Diagnostic Colonoscopy (29 min)
5. First Year Fellows: Therapeutic Colonoscopy (40 min)
6. ASGE Masterclass: ESD: It’s Inception to Perfection (15 min)
7. ASGE Masterclass: Indications of EMR and ESD: (10 min)
8. ASGE Video Library: Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM): (24 min)
9. ASGE Masterclass: EUS Introduction to Radial & Linear Examination (18 min)