Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
Issue link: http://outpatientsurgery.uberflip.com/i/1091431
Message from the President Late last year, a class-action lawsuit was filed against a New Jersey surgery center whose poor sterilization practices potentially exposed nearly 3,800 former patients to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV during the first nine months of 2018. A New Jersey Department of Health investigation revealed, among other things, an outdated infection control plan and a failure to properly clean and disinfect medical hardware and instruments. This prompted state inspectors to close the facility for three weeks until the problems were remediated. Thankfully, as Managing Risk went to press, no infections have yet been traced to the facility's failure to follow accepted sterilization protocols. What I find most remarkable about this story is how rare news of this kind is reported. Which is a testament to the success of the infection control initiatives that the overwhelming majority of health care institutions across the United States have instituted. Yet what took place is a sobering reminder that nothing can be taken for granted in the never-ending quest to dramatically reduce the occurrence of HAIs. Vigilant care within the CSSD and strict adherence to established practices are required to avoid the clinical and financial risks of non-compliance. What happened in New Jersey also reminds us that the most important component of effective infection control at any institution walks through its doors each day. Many of these individuals are inexperienced sterile processing technicians, fresh out of high school, who can't reasonably be expected to immediately understand the strategic importance of their job responsibilities. That's why it's imperative that CSSD managers impress upon their new hires just how valuable their contributions are to ensure uninterrupted surgical workflows and patient/staff safety. It's also why it's critically important to support some of the youngest and untested employees in the facility with proper training, best-in-class equipment, cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products, plus an ergonomic workflow that minimizes their physical effort and discomfort. Only then can they adhere to the institution's infection control regimen with confidence. In upcoming issues, Managing Risk will explore some of today's most pressing issues associated with what I oen refer to as the four Ps of effective infection control in the CSSD – people, products, place and processes. We'll examine some of the reasons why those responsible for managing surgical workflows are more challenged than ever to meet the interrelated clinical, operational and financial objectives that determine the health and well-being of both the institution and the patients it serves. Getinge is uniquely positioned to help support care providers, like you, and assist with overcoming these hospital challenges. We strive to provide powerful knowledge, innovative technolo- gies, and meaningful partnerships to improve the lives of people - today and tomorrow. Eric Honroth President, Getinge North America New addition to Getinge 86-series washer-disinfectors reduces process time by as much as 25% Those individuals who are adept at multitasking are more efficient and productive than their counterparts. The same holds true for the new Getinge S-8668T washer-disinfector which helps CSSD managers beer mitigate the risk that critical instrument sets won't be available when and where they are needed. With increasing workloads in many CSSDs, timely throughput of essential instruments and equipment helps ensure uninterrupted surgical workflows. These processes positively impact operational efficiency, patient outcomes and financial performance in the OR; accounting for as much as 65% of an institution's revenue. That's why the new model S-8668T features multitasking functionality to reduce non-productive waiting time. It fills, drains and heats final rinse water in the background during critical process phases. For example, a holding tank above the top of the chamber automatically fills with solution prior to each cycle and cycle phase. This pre-process tank immediately starts to re-fill once the solution has been deposited into the chamber sump. Additionally, a holding tank located below the chamber sump receives all process solutions at the end of each phase. Solutions are dumped directly into the drain tank in just a few seconds, allow- ing the chamber sump to be ready to receive new solution from the process tank without wasting time waiting for solution to drain. Likewise, a holding tank below the chamber automatically fills with hot water at the start of a new cycle and immediately starts heating solution for use in the final rinse. Heating continues in the background as the cycle progresses through its phases. When required, the pre-heated disinfection water is pumped to the process tank and immediately dumped into the chamber sump for use in disinfecting the process load.