Gregory Agoston Featured in November HPN Edition
Recently, many sterile processing departments (SPDs) have implemented disposable/single-use-only endoscopic devices. There has been media buzz surrounding the development of these new instruments, and many people believe that it’s leading to more infections. Although endoscopes are challenging to disinfect and...
How Fairfield Medical Center Tackles Sterile Processing
Fairfield Medical Center's Sterile Processing Department recently discussed the realm of sterile processing, everyday responsibilities, the impact that sterile processing has on patients, and achieving surgeon satisfaction. Scope of Focus External processing focuses on providing hospitals and other medical facilities...
How to Handle the Post-Pandemic Challenges of the Sterile Processing Department
How to Handle the Post-Pandemic Challenges of the Sterile Processing Department Like all hospital departments, the sterile processing department (SPD) was forced to adapt to the obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic isn’t entirely in our rear...
Which Competencies Should Your SPD Have?
It’s a primary goal for sterile processing departments to operate at peak efficiency while maintaining the highest level of patient safety. Technicians must possess adequate knowledge and understanding of the sterile processing environment while demonstrating a solid understanding of performing...
Turn Your “Cost Center” SPD into a Revenue Generator
An underperforming sterile processing department (SPD) can be the source of dramatic hidden costs, both financially and in terms of patient outcomes. The sterile processing department is always viewed as a cost center, but the truth is that it holds…
Advocating for Safer Surgery- Principle #4: Sterilization
Every day, healthcare facilities’ sterile processing departments handle thousands of reusable surgical instruments and devices. The department reprocesses the used instruments so they are ready for the next surgical caseload. According to the CDC, critical items confer a high risk…
SPD Specialization is Becoming a Necessity
Innovations in healthcare have outpaced the generalized sterile processing department capabilities. Rapid advancement in surgical procedures has necessitated the creation of advanced surgical instruments, many of them complex in design. The increase in the number and complexity of tools as…
Advocating for Safer Surgery: Four Principles
With over 300 million people worldwide going under the knife every year, safer surgery is a universal healthcare priority. New studies and advances in medical science are reducing risk all the time — but the key to increasing patient safety…
Sterile Processing Problems: High Turnover in Hospital SPD Staff
In a comparison with other high-income countries, the United States spends the most on healthcare — roughly 18% of our GDP. A tidy 8% of those healthcare costs are administrative, which includes the expensive and time-consuming process of recruiting and…