Structural, procedural, and personnel requirements for cross-sectoral provision of endoscopic gastroenterological procedures

Abstract

Gastroenterology has made crucial advances in diagnostic and interventional endoscopic procedures, opening up improvements in the treatment of many patients. Thus, organ-preserving treatments are increasingly being made possible, replacing more invasive organ resecting surgical procedures. At the same time, the degree of complexity and risks varies widely between different endoscopic procedures. In many cases, simpler endoscopic procedures are now offered on an outpatient basis. Further potential for cross-sectoral performance of endoscopic procedures exists in the case of complex endoscopic procedures, which, however, require special structural, procedural and personnel requirements in order to provide quality-assured treatment, enable post-interventional monitoring and, if necessary, take measures to ensure the success of the treatment. We summarize the essential prerequisites and limitations for cross-sector performance of endoscopic procedures in gastroenterology.