Chris Lavanchy, engineering director of the Health Devices Group at ECRI Institute, has extensive experience working with sterile processing departments and provides his insights regarding the imperatives of proper medical device reprocessing.

Sterile Processing

 sterile processing page provides an inside look into the sterile processing (or central supply) department in the hospital where surgical instruments are cleaned, sterilized, and reprocessed in order to disinfect, remove bioburden, and prep for upcoming procedures. Sterile processing applies to not only the knives, scalpels, scissors, forceps, and clamps used in surgery, but also instruments such as endoscopes and duodenoscopes. 

 reports on the latest technology but also on the means to disinfect that technology. Also, the trend toward making more disposable surgical equipment. What does that mean for the sterile processing team?

Medical Device Reprocessing Challenges: A Q&A with ECRI Institute's Chris Lavanchy