In outpatient surgery, efficiency and precision are crucial not only for successful patient outcomes but also for maintaining smooth operational flow....

It takes a team to ensure surgical instruments are clean, sterile and ready for surgery....

Surgical robots, once only affordable to the largest hospitals and health systems, are now finding their way into a growing number of outpatient surgical facilities as patents...

The Monroeville (Pa.) Ambulatory Surgery Center faced a significant challenge surrounding inefficient instrument use that led to increased costs and delays in surgical...

Like many hospitals across the country, The Valley Hospital in Paramus, N.J., experienced a period of low staffing in its sterile processing department (SPD)...

Everyone is aligned with the idea that endoscopes need to be dried before they’re stored because germs thrive in their long, dark, narrow channels....

Many surgical equipment and instrumentation manufacturers’ instructions for use (IFUs) for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing their products are not as clear...

Complex tasks require consistent protocols, as even seemingly minor variations can cause critical steps to fall through the cracks....

August is ASC month and I thought it would be a great time to reflect on my time in the industry....

When it comes to SPD processes, remember this key task: “Washer spray arms must be cleaned out a minimum of once daily and inspected after each shift...

For surgical facilities, the world of sterile processing is a complex web of carefully managed protocols, people, supplies, scheduling and technology....

When staff education gets stale or boring, engagement falters and compliance often declines....

We recently spoke with two experts: An administrator of an ambulatory surgery center that contracted with a third-party, offsite sterile processing facility after...

Whether it’s cracked instrument marking tape, a miniscule chip out of the jaw of the needle holder or a jaw that has somehow become “sticky,” there are plenty...

When Tabitha Hoffman, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, NPD-BC, recently spoke with the five-person central sterile processing (CSP) staff at WellSpan Health Apple Hill Surgical Center...

Sterile processing leaders understand that efficiency is paramount when it comes to instrument management, and they often look outside the healthcare industry for help....

The sterile processing department (SPD) is the heartbeat of any healthcare facility, and its ability to safely handle and sanitize instruments is key to keeping patients safe...

Every October, National Sterile Processing Week takes place (Oct. 8 to 14 this year). It’s an opportunity for those who care for surgical instruments and equipment to be...

Back in our March issue, we featured an Idea That Works regarding the establishment of nurse specialty leads at WellSpan Apple Hill Surgical Center in York, Pa....

A decade after the CDC, FDA and others first stressed that more attention should be paid to the dangers of improperly reprocessed endoscopes, such errors remain...