[Time factors in endoscopic studies. A survey in West Germany].

In order to obtain representative data for the orientation of personal requirements in endoscopic units, 650 hospitals in the FRG were asked to have an exact look at the times they needed for endoscopic procedures during an period of 14 days. 25% of the contacted hospitals answered to this request and thus the times required for more than 14,000 endoscopic procedures for both, doctors and medical staff, could be analysed. Results revealed that most of the sophisticated procedures such as colonoscopy, ERCP (especially when they included therapeutic endoscopical methods) varied largely in time. This was caused by different factors such as the patient dependent variables, and the course of the procedure including observation of safety and hygiene standards. Average values of times needed for endoscopic procedures were as follows (time in minutes): (Table: see text). The data given above might be of value for the estimation of actual personal and time requirements in endoscopic units.