Digestive Health Associates

Southwest Endoscopy Center

Admission Eligibility
Digestive Health is an Office-Based Medical Practice

We are accepting new patients into Digestive Health's practice who are medically eligible for admission to the Southwest Endoscopy Center.  In order to assure timely care, we recommend that individuals who are not established patients in our practice, and who have potentially serious severe medical conditions, seek care from a hospital-based practice.  Our admission criteria are discussed below.

In Durango, Mercy Regional Medical Center operates CPHG Southwest Gastroenterology, where other gastroenterologists are available to provide endoscopic procedures in a hospital in-patient or out-patient setting.

Click here for additional information about having an endoscopic procedure performed in an Ambulatory Surgery Center, such as the Southwest Endoscopy Center, or at a hospital facility.

Click here for additional information about hospital endoscopy facilities in our region.

By Colorado law, patients admitted to the Southwest Endoscopy Center for endoscopic procedures must fulfill Colorado's criteria for admission.

Colorado Standards for Hospitals and Health Facilities
Standard defining admission criteria for ambulatory surgery centers (6 CCR 1011-1, last amended 01/19/11, effective 03/02/11)

The physicians performing the procedure shall document in writing that the patient is in good health or that any pre-existing health conditions are adequately controlled, require no special management and are such that performance of the procedure in an ASC, rather than a hospital setting, does not pose an increased risk to the patient.

 

The following preclude admission to the Southwest Endoscopy Center:

-Failure to meet ASA NPO guidelines (no clear liquids within 2 hours of admission, no light meal within 6 hours of admission, no regular food within 8 hours of admission)

-Age less than 16 years

-Heart rate persistently greater than 110 bpm

-Baseline oxygen saturation less than 88% on room air at time of admission

-Baseline oxygen saturation less than 90% on room air during clinic visit

-Daytime supplemental oxygen use (if prescribed by healthcare provider)

-BMI greater than 45

-Anticoagulated status (INR over 1.5 if anticoagulated with warfarin (Coumadin®) or unsuspended use of dabigatran (Pradaxa®) or similar agents, with anticipated need for endoscopic therapy (which includes polypectomy)

-Weight >500 pounds

-Cardiac pacemaker, automated implanted cardiac defibrillator (AICD), or deep brain stimulator (other implanted electronic devices are permitted, if they can be inactivated or the manufacturer has determined that the use of electrocautery poses no risk to the patient or the device

-Pregnancy

-Evidence of acute intoxication (alcohol, marijuana, prescription or nonprescription medication)

-New atrial fibrillation (not previously identified and evaluated)

-Current treatment with renal dialysis

-Personal history of malignant hyperthermia

-Current admission to a hospital or skilled nursing facility