The “new year, new me” mindset is familiar to us all, and in 2021, this desire to upgrade has also guided PPMC’s Gastroenterology (GI) and Endoscopy teams. In March, they will start welcoming patients to the new Penn Digestive and Liver Health Center at Penn Medicine University City. Higher acuity patients with more complex needs will still receive care at the main hospital, but the center will offer an outpatient clinic space, 12 exam rooms, four procedure rooms, and easy access to providers and specialists.
“The current unit is in an older part of the hospital, so it feels like we’re moving into the 21st century!” said Lori Fowler-Gagliardi, BSN, MBA, RN, CNOR, clinical director of Perioperative Services. “Patients will have more privacy, and the procedure rooms are about twice the size of our current spaces.” This expansion will improve staff workflow while also promoting social distancing. “The new unit is also just gorgeous; there’s so much natural light,” she said. “I think this will be a really positive, welcome change.”
With its increased capacity, the center will offer a range of services including inflammatory bowel disease consultations and an estimated 150 colonoscopies per month along with other basic colon cancer screenings — which aligns with a system-wide goal to increase the number of Black patients receiving up-to-date screenings.
“A huge portion of the community members that aren’t getting screened live in West Philadelphia. We’re hoping that with more providers, more procedure space, and increased access, more people will get the preventative care they need, and we’ll identify fewer people with late-stage cancers,” said Greta Gilbode, MBA, associate executive director of Service Line Operations.
The opening of the center is particularly satisfying for Gilbode as it marks the culmination of a project she has been overseeing since she arrived at PPMC in 2017. “It has been a huge endeavor that was delayed by COVID-19, but I’m so grateful to have been able to work with such a dynamic group to bring this to fruition,” she said, pointing to the collaborative efforts of the GI, endoscopy, nursing, anesthesia, pharmacy, lab, and construction teams.
“Patients will receive the same outstanding care across the street, but as we’ve seen in other areas like the Abramson Cancer Center we opened in May, a new, fresh atmosphere is a plus. We’re all really looking forward to providing an enhanced experience that both our staff and our patients will enjoy.”
