Boston Scientific, a global medical technology leader, conducted an All-India Technician Training Program recently for more than 300 technicians and 200 physicians on state-of-the-art endoscopic methods to treat a variety of gastrointestinal disorders last week as part of its EDUCARE initiative. The training was held in conjunction with ENDO 2017, the First World Congress of Gasterointestinal (GI) Endoscopy.

The annual conference brings together international and national experts from various specialties such as luminal disorders, pancreato-biliary disease, hepatology, GI oncology, interventional GI endoscopy, GI physiology and the basic sciences. The Boston Scientific All-India Technician Training Programme trained physicians and technicians on endoscope handling and techniques during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), cholangioscopy, peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), electronic medical records (EMR) and electrostatic discharge (ESD).

The training was conducted to address a gap identified by a 2012 study by the ministry of health and family welfare, “Paramedics to Allied Health Sciences: Landscaping the Journey and Way Forward.” The study reported a shortage of around 2,36,000 medical technologists, 1,98,000 surgical and intervention technology-related health professionals, 1,28,000 ophthalmology-related workers, 61,670 medical laboratory professionals and more than 19,217 radiography and imaging experts. The report also highlighted that, given the rapidly advancing technologies, there is a need to address a skill gap among current health technicians to ensure reliable results in conjunction with patient safety.

Educare, a Boston Scientific global initiative, is a comprehensive suite of education and training programs that support healthcare professionals in the delivery of patient care. Training is offered both online at www.virtualtraininginstitute.com and through nine global Institutes for Advancing Science (IAS) which provides hands-on training. In 2016, approximately 16,000 healthcare professionals in in the Asia, Middle East and Africa region attended an IAS programme. In addition to continuing medical education workshops for physicians and surgeons, Boston Scientific is also committed to providing high-quality technical education to healthcare technicians on the latest medical technologies.

“At Boston Scientific, we believe in dedicating meaningful innovation to enable breakthrough solutions that enhance and improve patient lives,” said Prabal Chakraborty, vice president and managing director, Boston Scientific in India. “One of the ways we do this is by collaborating with physicians and providing them with a platform to upgrade their skills by hands on training on advanced technologies. We understand the gaps in the healthcare training system, and through Educare, we aim to provide medical training focused on minimally invasive technologies and therapies to help healthcare professionals advance patient care.”

“This conference gave us a unique opportunity to share both national and international research findings, enrich our own knowledge through these insights and discuss what the future looks like for those in the field of gastroenterology,” added Dr. Nageshwar D. Reddy, president of the ENDO 2017 organizing committee.