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O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | A U G U S T 2 0 1 4
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s an accreditation surveyor and CEO of a gastroenterol-
ogy practice that performs 30,000 endoscopies a year in
4 facilities, I'm keenly aware of what it takes to turn
around endoscopes efficiently and effectively. But per-
haps more importantly, here's my take on how to make
scope reprocessing safer for the techs doing the dirty work and the
patients who trust you with their care.
1. Know scopes inside and out
Best practice in scope reprocessing is to ensure standardized proto-
cols are followed each and every time, right? It's actually more com-
plicated than that. Independent surgery centers often partner with a
single scope manufacturer, which eases the burden on reprocessing
technicians. The task becomes more involved in larger centers or hos-
E N D O S C O P E R E P R O C E S S I N G
7 Keys to Safer
Endoscope Reprocessing
Frank
Chapman,
MBA
FIRST THINGS FIRST Dirty scopes
can't be properly disinfected.