Sterile Processing

Pathogenic microorganisms are transmitted in numerous ways in hospitals. One important consideration is the role that the environment plays in pathogen transmission, specifically leading to airborne and waterborne infections.

Room disinfection using hydrogen peroxide (HP) "fogging" methods has been shown to eradicate or significantly reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. diff), vancomycin-resistent Enterococci (VRE) and Acinetobacter baumanni in healthcare settings.

The purpose of this study was to determine the real-world effectiveness of healthcare facilities flexible endoscope cleaning procedures by utilizing the ChannelCheck residual soil test, a product of Healthmark Industries Co, Inc. The ChannelCheck test detects the presence of organic contaminants and can serve as a quality control tool to identify potential deficiencies in endoscope reprocessing effectiveness, typically failure results from not following reprocessing standards and guidelines or the use of damaged or defective equipment.

Turning surgical instrumentation over quickly for the operating room (OR) has always been, and may remain, a constant hot topic. It is a critical issue for several reasons. Flashing is not a viable option for non-emergencies. Capital funds for inventory are not as robust as in years past. Sterile processing departments are often not located within or adjacent to many OR suites at most facilities. Surgical instrumentation and other medical devices are more complex and require unique and extensive processing more then ever. Furthermore, organisms are just as complex as the instruments we are trying to process, so, room for error is much less.