Quality Care

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Why choose us?
  • Our group offers the full spectrum of gastroenterological and liver care
  • We are the region’s largest and most experienced Gastroenterology group; all of our eighteen (18) physicians are Board Certified or Eligible Gastroenterologists
  • We have our own pathology lab, under the direction of a Pathologist specializing in gastroenterology. This allows promotion of high quality results, allows our physicians to discuss pathology cases and results immediately with the pathologist and provides for timely patient results
  • We were the regions first Gastroenterology group performing Endoscopic Ultrasonography procedures (EUS)
  • We offer several convenient locations in Reno, Carson City and Gardnerville to better serve our patient’s needs
  • Our quality scores on performing colonoscopies exceed national benchmarks; we have lower than national average complication rates
  • We were the first in the region performing painless, non surgical hemorrhoid banding procedures
  • Our providers have privileges at all the area hospitals
Colonoscopy Quality Indicators
Colonoscopy is the most commonly performed gastrointestinal procedure, with more than 14 million colonoscopies performed in the United States each year. Colonoscopies are performed as a screening for cancer, surveillance and diagnostic to evaluate symptoms.
Patients are advised to seek a well-trained endoscopist who maintains an adequate case volume to maintain procedural skills (more than 300 procedures per year) and has a record of performing a complete examination of the colon.
Quality indicators or benchmarks have been developed to establish competence in performing colonoscopy and help define areas for continuous quality improvement.
As shown below, our physicians are highly skilled and have a very low complication rate.

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qualgrph_comp_bleed

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What are the qualifications of our Physicians?
The training and experience of the endoscopist is critical to high-quality endoscopic procedures such as esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), colonoscopy for pre-cancerous colon polyp and colorectal cancer detection, EUS and ERCP.1 The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) recommends endoscopy is performed by physicians who have completed formal training in endoscopy and who have completed a fellowship in gastroenterology.2

At Gastroenterology Consultants, all of our 18 Physicians have completed formal rigorous training (fellowship) in gastroenterology and endoscopy. All of our physicians are Board Certified or Board Eligible. We maintain an ongoing Quality Management program, tracking quality data for the exams performed in our endoscopy centers; we benchmark our procedures and adverse patient outcomes against National Quality Indicators.3 We have a Peer review program, and continuously review our Physicians and monitor any complications in efforts to improve patient outcomes and the care of our patients.

 

 

1The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Position Statement
2American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Policy and Procedure Manual; Feb 2002.
3The National Clearing House Quality Indicators for Colonoscopy, American College of Gastroenterology (AGE) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
What are the qualifications of our staff?
Registered Nurses:
Each of our RN staff typically has two or more years experience in Surgery/Operating Room, Intensive Care or Emergency Department prior to joining our GIC team. Our nurses undergo an initial extensive competency-based training program specific to endoscopy and annual training thereafter. Patient care in the pre and post procedure areas is overseen by 1 RN for every two to three patients; in the procedure room there is one RN per patient.
Lead Endoscopy Technicians:
Each center has an overseeing Lead Endoscopy Technician who is certified by both:
1. The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) as GI Technical Specialists. This program consists of education modules covering the following topics: Anatomy & Physiology; Equipment; Sterilization/Infection Control; Patient Care; Risk Management; Roles & Responsibilities; Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
2. The Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD). This certification covers Infection Control, Sterilization Techniques, Standard Equipment for Endoscopic Procedures, Chemicals, Rules and Regulations, Safety, Basic Medical Competencies and Performance Standards, Recordkeeping, Specimen Handling and Ethical Standards.
Endoscopy Technicians:
All of our technicians undergo an initial extensive competency-based training program which includes modules on Anatomy & Physiology, Set-up and Use of Endoscopic Procedure Equipment, Infection Control, Specimen Handling and Patient Care. All of our endoscopy technicians have prior health care experience; most were previously EMT-certified.
Processing Endoscopy Technicians:
Further training is required for a technician to move into equipment processing / sterilization. This is another extensive competency-based training program focusing on Advanced Infection Control, Processing Techniques, Equipment and Recordkeeping. Annual re-evaluations and testing are required.
Site Accreditation
Quality patient-oriented care is our number one priority.
Our facilities take a proactive, comprehensive, ongoing approach to continuously ensure the delivery of high-quality care and monitoring the safety of the services we provide.
We employ an ongoing, evidence-based systems approach to evaluate our processes on a routine basis in efforts to minimize medical error and improve patient care.
What are the licensures of our facilities?
1. All of our Centers are licensed by the State of Nevada Health Department Bureau of Licensure and Certification, undergoing rigorous unannounced annual inspections. At the completion of our 2008 inspections the inspectors complimented us on our high standards and deemed our Centers should be the training model for all other Centers.
2. All of our Centers have received the highest possible accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). This is a three year certification.
3. All of our centers are inspected monthly by a consulting pharmacist and annually by the State Board of Pharmacy.
National Standards we follow regarding Endoscopy and Infection Control?
We have formally adopted the following National Professional Standards and Guidelines:
1. Multi-Society Guidelines for Reprocessing Flexible Gastrointestinal Endoscopes as endorsed by:
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA)
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
American College of Gastroenterologists (ACG)
2. Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines for:

a. Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities 2008.
b. Guideline for Isolation Precautions: preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings, 2007.
How are cleaning and disinfection/sterilization procedures monitored for quality?
Equipment and instrument cleaning and sterilization are complex processes involving numerous technical details. Our staff are highly trained and certified competent in the cleaning, processing and sterilization of the equipment. To ensure no step is ever omitted, we monitor and record multiple points of equipment disinfection and sterilization.
Our extensive quality control program monitors over 100 quality factors on an ongoing basis. Critical factors related to infection control are monitored on every sterilized / processed instrument.
Who oversees Quality and Infection Control in the Centers?
Our RN Director of Center Operations has over six years of Endoscopy experience with GI Consultants. She oversees the personnel and operations of the Centers ensuring adherence to all policies and procedures.
We also have a RN Director of Quality Management, who oversees quality management and infection control in the Centers; and ensures all regulations are adhered to.
Both RN Directors report to the Quality Management Committee. Both RN Directors are members of Associated Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) and the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) and members of NASCA, Nevada Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, holding positions on the Educational and Legislative committees.
GI Consultants In-House Pathology Lab

GI-Consultants-Hayashi-1GI Consultants has it's own Pathologist, Dr. Grant Hayashi (shown middle), who specializes in GI Pathology.

The addition of our in-house Anatomic Pathology lab allows GIC physicians to interact and consult with the Pathologist in a more timely and meaningful manner resulting in a higher level of coordination for better patient care.