AS I SEE IT


while making the most of limited space in the OR.


Sterile Processing Efficiencies Think about your facility’s instrument intake procedure and its multiple steps, check-in procedures and coordination (https://www.iahcsmm.org/images/ Resources/Loaner_Instrument/Posi- tion-Paper.pdf). The 24 to 48 hours many health care facilities require to receive instrument trays before a sched- uled procedure promotes distraction of employees and possible missteps, not to mention the back-end cleaning, restocking and storage required caring for this inventory.


Presterilized trays streamline pro- cessing on the front and back ends: ■■ ■■


They take less time to check in.


Drop-off can happen anytime, even the night before a procedure.


■■


They can head directly to the core and the case cart, bypassing steril- ization with zero worries about pos- sible contamination and OR delays due to a hole in the drape, moisture in the tray, an overlooked contaminated instrument or a mislabeled tray.


■■ ■■


They eliminate mislabeling of a wrapped tray.


The surgical staff can see all the instru- ments through their clear packaging and precision content labeling. They don’t have to open a tray to know exactly what they have.


■■


Interaction time between the health care facility and product representa- tive is simplified and reduced.


■■


They relieve the financial impact for lost instruments.


Improved Inventory Access and Management No organization wants equipment that is oversupplied and underutilized. The idea of keeping a small emer-


gency inventory of presterilized plates and screws for the unannounced and unplanned situation can benefit any health care facility, particularly in light of recent natural and man-made


Considering a health care facility’s need to reduce its financial burdens, minimize its infection risk and create more operational efficiencies, the switch to ‘one and done’ makes for smart business and quality patient care and offers benefits worth the effort.”


— John Wells In2Bones USA


disasters. Several trays can be kept off to the side for quick access or for trans- port, as presterilized trays can be easily moved without fear of contamination.


Device Tracking with UDI and EHR Ongoing federal requirements for mak- ing implantable devices adequately identifiable through the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Unique Device Identification (UDI) system, and then entered into a patient’s electronic health record (EHR) and insurance claims, is made easier via presterilized implants and instrument kits. With an abundance of screws and


plates of various sizes, including some that are quite small, managing what specific implants go into a patient can


make tracking and compliance difficult. Having all implants in sterile packag- ing with detailed labeling—including the required UDIs marked by the man- ufacturer—simplifies compliance and eases the data entry burden on health care staff.


Nursing Staff Efficiencies


One common complaint among health professionals is how greater data entry encroaches on their workload as cli- nicians. The regulatory environment around UDI compliance is compli- cated and sometimes a point of anxiety for health care facilities and device- makers alike. It is becoming clear that recordkeeping compliance will con- tinue to deflect more staff time away from caring for patients. Prepackaged, single-use implants have the promise to introduce a bit more simplicity into the tracking and recording processes used with UDIs.


Gaining Traction Of course, shifting


entirely over to


presterilized implants and instruments would require changes in procurement, process management, stock control, storage and contract maintenance. Several countries have already taken these steps and are moving to a new model of presterilized small extremity implants and single-use instruments. In response, device manufacturers have created products to support this clini- cal push.


Considering a health care facility’s need to reduce its financial burdens, minimize its infection risk and cre- ate more operational efficiencies, the switch to “one and done” makes for smart business and quality patient care and offers benefits worth the effort.


John Wells is an area vice president at In2Bones USA, in Memphis, Tennessee. Write him at jwells@i2b-usa.com.


ASC FOCUS JUNE/JULY 2018 |www.ascfocus.org 9


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