QEII Hospital has reached a key milestone in its commitment to advancing healthcare for the Metro South community with the opening of Endoscopy Suite 3 on June 30.
The all-new suite brings a healthy clinical boost to one of Queensland’s busiest Endoscopy units, making way for 2,400 additional cases each year.
Endoscopy Nurse Unit Manager Jo Summers says the completion of works at the unit will help meet the needs of a growing community, as the QEII Hospital Expansion project gets underway to deliver 112 new beds by late 2027.
“For the Endoscopy team, this has been a long-awaited expansion which will enable us to continue to deliver an efficient service and manage the growing Gastroenterology waitlist,” she said.
Importantly, all three Endoscopy suites at the unit are now fitted with the latest in Blue Light Imaging (BLI) technology.
QEII is one of the first hospitals in Australia to implement the advanced diagnostic tool, which works by enhancing the visibility of blood vessels and mucosal patterns, aiding the detection and characterisation of lesions and gastric mucosal changes in the gastrointestinal tract. BLI has also shown promise in improving the detection of colorectal polyps.
“We have the benefit of the latest 4K technology for enhanced imaging reproduction, and AI-assisted polyp detection to support early identification of cancer-related diseases. The room itself is fully customisable to suit individual clinician preferences, offering a fully integrated Endoscopy procedural environment,” explained Jo.
It was a mix of nervous anticipation for QEII local Ada, who was the first patient welcomed to Suite 3 on June 30.
“I am nervous about having a procedure, but I do feel lucky to be the first patient in the new room,” she said.
Beyond the project’s clinical impact, Principal Project Officer Siobhan Newnham says its success reflects a strong collaborative effort across disciplines.
“The project has seen incredible leadership and partnership between the clinical and non-clinical staff in the unit, alongside MSH Assets and Infrastructure,” she said.
Special thanks to all involved for contributing their expertise, teamwork, and dedication to the project.