The Instrument Whisperer Has Spoken
Tips on dealing with instrument repair and maintenance.
T
he Instrument
Whisperer.
That's what they
call Rick Schultz, the
author of The World of
Surgical Instruments:
The Definitive
Inspection Textbook, a
500-plus-page illustrat-
ed guide to inspecting
and identifying surgical
instruments. From
tungsten carbide needle
holders to stainless
steel forceps, the book
features more than
1,100 high-resolution
images that demon-
strate everything from how to inspect the gaskets and latches on ster-
ilization containers, to how to identify inspection points and damaged
instruments. It should be required reading for you and your reproces-
sors. Here are a few of the many pearls you'll find.
Know your instrument repair costs. Few know their instru-
ment repair costs, and that's a problem. Do you have an hourly
rate model or an annual capitation agreement with your repair ven-
dor? Yes, repair pricing can be confusing. Here are a few of the criti-
cal questions Mr. Schultz suggests you ask your potential repair ven-
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3 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Infection Prevention
Weston "Hank" Balch, CRCST, CER, CIS, CHL
• INSTRUMENT ATLAS Rick Schultz's illustrated
guide to conquering the world of surgical instrument inspection.
