With the opening of the Bill Holmes Tower this spring, CHOC now has a new, state-of-the-art pediatric Gastroenterology Lab, located on the tower’s third floor.
Previously located at St. Joseph Hospital, the new lab at CHOC brings many benefits to young patients and physicians community-wide.
“The staff is all pediatric-trained and focused, which is a first. They’re not spending as much time with adults. And, this is the first time we’ve had a truly dedicated endoscopy suite for the treatment of children,” shared Dr. Mitchell Katz, director of CHOC’s multidisciplinary feeding team, pediatric GI lab services, and the division of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition.“We have a dedicated unit for GI motility, which is also a unique feature of the lab,” Dr. Katz continued. “We have the highest quality, most up-to-date equipment with a space that is comfortable not only for the patients but the physicians and staff. Because of the set up in the lab, it’s more efficient and we are able to interact closely with the parents before and after the procedures, in a private setting which works nicely for this,” he said.
Referring physicians are kept closely in the loop and receive reports back from the lab typically within 24 hours.
“In constructing this lab, a key goal was to maintain good communications with referring physicians to help maintain continuity of care and coordinated care,” Dr. Katz said. “Systems are in place to facilitate that and we have seamless communication of the procedures back to the referring doctors.”
More patients can be accommodated in the new lab than previously. Multiple procedures can be done there at the same time, which has increased productivity and served to better accommodate patients and physicians, Dr. Katz said. Procedures done in the lab include Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, Motility studies and Bronchoscopy. The lab can accommodate those procedures that require x-ray input as well.
In addition, a multitude of other minor procedures can be done in the lab’s two operating rooms in combination with the GI and pulmonary procedures. This reduces the amount of time the child is under anesthesia and the number of hospital visits needed.
CHOC gastroenterology physicians are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to handle the full scope of gastrointestinal, liver and nutritionally related problems in patients up to 21 years of age. Please call 714-509-9180 for more information.
