Digestive units in the National Health System of the 21st century. Organizational and management standards for a patient-centered service.

The Spanish Society of Digestive Pathology has set a consensus document on the standards and recommendations for gastroenterology units (GU). These standards are considered as relevant in the organization and management of the unit to develop their activities with efficiency and quality. Four key groups of processes have been identified: a) care for the acutely ill adult patient; b) outpatient digestive endoscopy; c) in-hospital support to other services and outpatient clinics; and d) management of patients with chronic complex digestive pathology. Standards for organization and management of the unit were classified within the group of support processes, and training and research as strategic processes. Standards have also been developed for some functional and monographic units such as endoscopy, hepatology and inflammatory bowel disease; as well as for certain procedures including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, colonoscopy and gastroscopy. The standards will be set for other units and procedures as they are developed. The standards developed must be reviewed within a maximum period of five years.