Cleveland Center for Digestive Health & Endoscopy, LLC
The Cleveland Center for Digestive Health & Endoscopy, LLC (“CCDH”) was originally founded in 1990 under the name Ambulatory Surgery Center of Northern Ohio, Incorporated. Being the first physician-owned endoscopy center in Northern Ohio, we were trailblazers and visionaries for those centers that followed. Until 2006, we operated with 2 endoscopy procedure rooms and 5 recovery beds with 5 full time and 2 part-time employees in nine hundred square feet. Our reception room seated 12 people comfortably.
After 1 year of market research and planning, we began construction in November of 2005 and in April of 2006 the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Northern Ohio moved into 8,500 square feet of space with 4 endoscopy procedure rooms, 5 pre-op beds and 5 post-op beds. Our reception room now seats 75 comfortably. We subscribe to 50 different magazines, and provide the Plain Dealer, Wall Street Journal and USA Today daily along with the Jewish News, Catholic Universe Bulletin and La Gazetta weekly for our patients, friends and family members. Two flat screen monitors on either side of the room provide ongoing entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere. A free coffee/tea bar with bottled water is available for our patients and their family.
With the move, we closed the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Northern Ohio and opened the Cleveland Center for Digestive Health and Endoscopy, LLC with the intent to offer the most comprehensive healthcare services to our patients and their family members. There are now 15 full and part-time employees.
Most importantly, the Cleveland Center for Digestive Health and Endoscopy is licensed by the Ohio Department of Health to operate as an ambulatory surgery center and is accredited by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare, Incorporated. These accreditations assure all of our patients that we have gone through rigorous evaluations of our clinical operating policies and procedures,
that our physical plant (the building itself) has passed a Life Safety Code inspection and our day to day operations are financially stable.
CCDH adheres to the guidelines as outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with respect to Advance Directives and Living Wills and Patient Rights and Responsibilities.
Care and Cleaning of Endoscopes
We go to great lengths to ensure each of our patients is well cared for and each endoscope used is meticulously cleaned and disinfected prior to being used. Dwight, our endoscope technician has passed SGNA certification as an endoscope technician having passed rigorous training in high level disinfection techniques.
GAC Institute for Gastrointestinal Pathology 
In 2005, we became the first medical practice in Northern Ohio to develop our own in- house pathology laboratory that is CLIA certified to provide anatomic pathology services to our patients. By employing a full time board certified pathologist with advanced training in gastrointestinal pathology we have immediate access to our patients’ biopsy specimens. This allows immediate consultation between our pathologist and your physician.
Quality Assurance
Throughout the year all of our organizations have ongoing programs in quality assurance, risk management, patient survey tools and root cause analysis to ensure that all of our patients receive the highest standard of care available.