Endoscope reprocessing
Supporting efficiency & continuity On-Demand, pre-sterilised loan endoscope solutions offer hospitals an effective contingency plan for reprocessing disruptions, ensuring that patient care is uninterrupted, staff workload is optimised, and operational efficiency is maintained. Table 3 provides a comparative analysis of endoscope supply models.
Environment and sustainability There is increasing momentum among hospitals to reduce their carbon emissions. Over 3,000 healthcare facilities have joined the UN’s ‘Race
About the authors
Elizabeth (Beth) Wardle RN is a Bachelor of Nursing & Australian Credentialled Gastroenterology Nurse. She is currently the Clinical Nurse Manager of Infection Control at The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane
after managing their endoscopy unit for around 10 years. She has over 35 years of experience in gastroenterology
Professor Benedict Devereaux MB BS, MPhil, FACG, FASGE, FGESA, FRACP, is the Immediate Past-President of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia and Professor at the School of
Medicine, University of Queensland and a Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. He has special interests in pancreatico-biliary endoscopy, pancreatology, endoscopy training strategies and governance and infection prevention and control in endoscopy. He is the Chair of the GESA Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy Committee.
Mutsa Mutowo is the Health Economics and Market Access Lead for Australia and New Zealand at Olympus Corporation. She holds a PhD in Public Health from Monash University and MPH (Health Economics)
from the University of Melbourne. Specialising in health economics, market access, and health technology assessments, she applies her
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expertise in reimbursement strategies, health economic modelling, and value communication to improve access to innovative technologies in clinical settings.
Scott Veltman is the Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy for Australia and New Zealand at Olympus Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Master
of Business Administration from Deakin University in Melbourne. As the Project Lead, Scott successfully developed an offsite sterilisation service from concept to execution, overseeing ideation, strategic development, and implementation. Now, as Senior Manager, he is responsible for the facility’s operations, process optimisation, and staff management, ensuring its ongoing success and efficiency.
Di Jones is a Director for the Australian and New Zealand Gastroenterology International Training Association. She started work in gastroenterological nursing in 1976 and has
worked as a clinician, researcher, educator and manager in the specialty over the past 49 years. Di has had extensive involvement in the Gastroenterological Nurses College of Australia (GENCA) and is a lifetime member of the College. Di is a co-author of Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy and Standards for Endoscopic Facilities, and was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2012 for services to nursing.
to Zero’ initiative, aiming to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. Various Australian hospitals have also announced plans and targets to significantly reduce their emissions. The On-Demand service presents a globally
replicable solution for hospitals seeking to enhance infection control, improve operational efficiency, and meet sustainability goals.
Key areas for further research Key areas for further research include comparative life-cycle assessments to rigorously evaluate the carbon footprint, water
savings, and waste reduction associated with the On-Demand service compared to traditional reprocessing methods. Economic evaluations are needed to assess the long-term cost savings of loan endoscopes in diverse hospital settings. Moreover, studies on patient safety and infection control are essential to determine infection rates in hospitals using the On-Demand service relative to traditional reprocessing methods.
Conclusion: a scalable solution for modern healthcare The On-Demand service represents a strategic innovation in endoscope supply management, providing hospitals with ready-to-use, pre- sterilised loan endoscopes to supplement existing reprocessing workflows. By eliminating reprocessing and microbiological testing of loan endoscopes, ensuring equipment availability, and improving sustainability, this model helps hospitals maintain high infection control standards, while reducing operational burdens. As healthcare systems evolve toward
greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental responsibility, On-Demand services will play a pivotal role in future-proofing endoscopy workflows.
CSJ
References 1. Standards Australia. AS 5369:2023 Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices and Other Devices in Health and Non-Health Related Facilities. Standards Australia; 2023.
2. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Transitioning from AS/NZS 4187:2014 to AS 5369:2023. 2024. Available at:
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/ publications-and-resources/resource-library/ transitioning-asnzs-41872014-53692023
3. Olympus Australia and New Zealand. Olympus Launches its First Flexible Endoscope Sterilisation Facility. 2024. Available at: https://
www.olympus.com.au/company/en/news/ press-releases/2024-09-05t06-57-28/press-
release-detail-page_5504.html
4. Ofstead CL, Hopkins KM, Buro BL, Eiland JE, Wetzler HP. Challenges in achieving effective high-level disinfection in endoscope reprocessing. Am J Infect Control. 2020;48(3):309-315. doi: 10.1016/j. ajic.2019.09.013.
5. Ofstead CL, Wetzler HP, Snyder AK, Horton RA. Endoscope reprocessing methods: a prospective study on the impact of human factors and automation. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2010;33(4):304-311. doi: 10.1097/ SGA.0b013e3181e9431a.
6. Casini, B, Spagnolo, A.M., Sartini, Tuvo, B., et al. Microbiological surveillance post-reprocessing
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