STERILE PROCESSING


Frieze says healthcare facilities should consider maintaining even a small instru- ment processing department to handle their immediate needs and variations in schedule, adding:


“And always ensure that there is at least a supply of critical instruments and devices onsite, as well as trained, certified personnel to do the specific task. If all sets are pro- cessed offsite with limited resources at the individual facility, then there may be more opportunity for operating room (OR) delays for missing sets, those delayed in transport, and even more impetus to use IUSS steriliza- tion instead of terminal processes.” For some devices today, reprocessing is performed not in CSSPD departments but in other hospital areas, such as endoscopy labs, sleep labs and respiratory care departments, explains Radford. He adds how many of the reusable semi-critical medical devices pro- cessed in these areas are plastic and require a low-temperature high-level disinfection (HD) process that is validated for such devices, such as a washer-pasteurizer. “To balance factors, such as meeting


current reprocessing recommendations (ST1:2021 updated March 2022, e.g.), managing single-use inventory, managing costs, and maximizing sustainable health- care practices, healthcare providers need to consider switching to reusable plastics where appropriate and establishing a dedicated HD protocol for these devices.” One device category where onsite process-


ing offers significant advan- tages is ultrasound probes, according to en Shaw, President of Americas, anosonics. He notes how ultrasound is used in almost every healthcare depart- ment today for a range of invasive and noninvasive procedures. “Given the high volume of ultrasound probes used in a healthcare facility each day, offsite reprocessing is not practical,” said Shaw. “Instead, probes are usually reprocessed onsite, often in a central sterile service department or at point of care (POC). Technology has made HD of ultrasound probes at POC possible, offering an option that integrates better into existing workflows than centralized processing.” Shaw says POC reprocessing can have significant time and cost savings for facilities across multiple areas: • Inventory: It minimizes the number of probes in circulation and the turnaround time for reprocessing, meaning facilities do not need to expand probe inventories


Ken Shaw


• Logistics: Probe transportation is not required, saving time and eliminating the risk of cross-contamination from dirty transportation containers


TM


• Staffing: Staff members that carry out ultrasound exams are also able to perform reprocessing, which negates the need for separate reprocessing staff


• Supplies: POC technologies do not require staff to wear extensive personal protective equipment (PPE) apart from gloves located in the examination room Radford says a HD reprocessing pro-


gram for procedural areas should provide documentation down to the individual device, reprocess devices with a validated, sustainable, and materially compatible HD technology, and facilitate thorough drying to a clinically dry state that helps assure safe reuse.


“Such a dedicated program can be estab- lished in any location and can help a system achieve a compliant and sustainable infection prevention protocol while also saving the healthcare system money,” he added. For those healthcare facilities considering


a move toward POC reprocessing, Shaw says they need to ensure they have a method specifically designed for this approach. This means HD technology that is:  A closed system that mitigates risk of exposure to toxic vapors


 Designed for chemical safety and doesn’t require mixing or dilution of chemicals


• Able to be integrated with existing point of care workflows HPN


hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • June 2022 31


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64