Sterile processing leaders do everything they possibly can to ensure staff follow all the intricate steps and complex processes necessary to ensure surgical instruments are...

Most experts believe high-level disinfection (HLD) activities should be standardized but not centralized. “Centralization of disinfecting activities — especially with scopes...

Why should a surgery center become more sustainable? The energy intensity, expensive supplies and significant waste generated in surgery offer plenty of opportunities to...

The focus in sterile processing is often on processes and technology, but the quality of the water being used in sterile processing departments (SPDs) is all too often...

It’s not unusual for members of operating room teams and sterile processing departments to have strained relationships....

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...