Censitrac Introduces Endoscope Reprocessing and Tracking Solution

Censis® Technologies, Inc., developer of Censitrac surgical instrument tracking systems, has introduced ScopeTrac, an endoscope tracking and reprocessing data management solution designed to help prevent inappropriate endoscope reprocessing.

ScopeTrac is the first electronic tracking and management system providing immediate on-line access to multi-media files including internal protocols and manufacturer instructional materials for cleaning and handling. Additionally, ScopeTrac generates documentation that becomes an essential part of complete patient safety and electronic medical records, according to Randy Smith, president and chief executive officer of Censis® Technologies, a company whose Censitrac management tools are already in use or scheduled for implementation in approximately 250 hospitals in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Using RFID and scanning technologies, ScopeTrac generates vital data that allows a hospital or surgery center to track and manage the location and history of each endoscope used in the facility, including the scopes age, previous procedures, processing history, maintenance and suitability for use.

Between April 2003 and March 2010, hospitals in Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Missouri notified more than 10,000 patients of possible exposure to hepatitis or HIV, which occurred during routine hospital examinations as a result of inappropriate disinfection procedures. "A system such as ScopeTrac would have helped prevent or accurately identify these exposures," Smith says. "Even though fewer than 10,000 patients were actually exposed to infection, the hospitals had no way of accurately tracking cases involving direct exposure."

ScopeTrac ensures compliance with the most current patient safety guidelines of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Joint Commission, and the Association of Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). In addition to its patient safety benefits, ScopeTrac is designed to cut down on surgical preparation time, increases efficiency in operating rooms and sterile processing departments, and extends the life of the endoscopes, which represent a sizable capital investment by the hospital or surgery center. Additionally, the system provides complete information for audits, trend analysis and benchmarking for quality process improvement.