KOTA KINABALU: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Endoscopy Unit has become the first in the country to be equipped with a state-of-the-art simulator called the GI Mentor.
According to consultant physician and gastroenterologist, Dr Raman M. Chettiar, the move was concurrent with the Endoscopy Unit’s objective in providing the best care to its patients and producing great doctors and professionals including endoscopy nurses through continuous development in research.
“This first-of-its-kind centre in Malaysia aims to provide the best endoscopic skills training and become a main hub for training and research in endoscopy for Malaysia,” he said during a meeting with press members at the unit prior to the launch of the QEH Endoscopy simulation training centre and the new device yesterday.
The GI Mentor, by Simbionix, is a top of the line endoscopic medical simulator for training in gastrointestinal upper and lower endoscopic procedures.
The simulator offers a comprehensive library of modules with more than 120 tasks and virtual patient cases providing multiple training opportunities with true life patient scenarios. The comprehensive library of modules consist of curricula for training in basic and advance procedures starting from general essential endoscopic skills, continuing with simple clinical procedures and ending with challenging procedures such as emergency gastric bleeding, ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) procedures and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) procedures.
Dr Raman explained that endoscopy was a procedural based speciality utilizing camera to check the condition of a patient’s bowel gut.
“It is used for screening purposes, to detect cancer, for instance. We can use it to remove polyps, growth or ulcer…it is used to diagnose and treat bowel diseases,” he said.
He added that with the simulator, trainees can learn how to handle the endoscope and perform various procedures using a virtual patient.
“We want to ensure our trainees get adequate training before they start working with real patients.”
Present during the launch of the centre were Deputy Director General of Health (Medical) Datuk Dr Jeyaindran A/L Tan Sri Sinnadurai, State Health Director Dr Christina Rundi and QEH director Dr Heric Coray.