Infection Control Today Magazine

Sterile Processing

Sterile processing in the healthcare setting involves the proper and thorough cleaning, decontamination, disinfection and sterilization of surgical instrumentation and medical devices to remove bioburden that can cause healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs).

AAMI Offers Draft Infection Control Survey Tool

A draft hospital infection control survey tool developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Clinical Standards and Quality Control (OCSQ), is available on the website of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). ...More
3 weeks ago
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization, Policies and Practice
IAHCSMM, States Making Headway on CSSD Certification Efforts

The central sterile supply (CSS) discipline is ever-evolving and routinely faces new technology, instrumentation and standards. Staying abreast of these changes is a pervasive challenge, yet is essential for ensuring quality in the central sterile supply department (CSSD), ...More
4 weeks ago
Posted in Articles, Disinfection & Sterilization
FDA, AAMI Examine Medical Device Reprocessing Issues

Reprocessing medical devices is an intricate, complicated task, and lapses in infection prevention practices can lead to poor patient outcomes and infections. Cognizant of these implications and the role that medical device preprocessing plays in the larger healthcare ...More
January 6, 2012
Posted in Articles, Disinfection & Sterilization, Policies and Practice
AAMI Releases Proceedings from AAMI/FDA Medical Device Reprocessing Summit

In October 2011, more than 275 participants convened at the FDA headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., for a multidisciplinary AAMI/FDA Medical Device Reprocessing Summit. The summit built on an FDA public workshop on reprocessing in June 2011. For all participants, the summit ...More
January 3, 2012
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization, Policies and Practice
2011 Year in Review: Disinfection and Sterilization

ICT celebrates the end of the year by bringing you a review of the top news items and articles from 2011 related to disinfection and sterilization. ...More
December 27, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization
AAMI to Offer Webinar on Sterile Processing Accreditation Surveys

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) will offer a webinar on "Under the Spotlight: Is Your Facility Prepared for a Sterile Processing Accreditation Survey?" on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST. The speaker is Rose E. ...More
December 7, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization
Turnkey Manual Pre-Cleaning Station Improves Medical Device Processing Efficiency and Efficacy

Pure Processing LLC announces the introduction of the Pure Station medical devices pre-cleaning system, a portable soaking and irrigating sink system for pre-cleaning surgical instruments and other medical devices. Fitting neatly inside an existing processing sink or on a ...More
December 5, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization
STERIS Launches Revital-Ox Product Line for Endoscopy-Related Reprocessing

STERIS Corporation announces the launch of a new segment of consumable products specifically designed for the reprocessing needs of endoscopy customers. The Revital-Ox line addresses all aspects of the process, from pre-cleaning and transport through cleaning and ...More
November 15, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization
Joint Commission Addresses Laryngoscope Blade Processing

The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) is reporting that the Joint Commission has released a new standards-related FAQ that addresses the processing and storing of laryngoscope blades in perioperative-care settings. The FAQ emphasizes that Joint ...More
November 3, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization
AAMI Offers New Book for Sterile Processing Departments

A new book from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) tells sterile processing departments how they can get ready for accreditation surveys. The goal of the new book, "Sterile Processing in Healthcare Facilities: Preparing for Accreditation ...More
November 1, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization