Talk to other users before you buy
There are many critical issues to consider
when you're looking at washers. How
easy is it to use? Is it complicated for your
staff to select the cycle, and to read and
interpret the cycle? Do you have to make
any major changes with the baskets you
use? My advice: Don't buy anything until
they've talked to a facility that has had the
same machine for at least a year, and ask
whether they'd purchase it again.
Some facilities overbuy, wasting money on fancy accessories they
never use. For example, many ultrasonic cleaners come with special
inserts and tubing that can be used to clean lumens. But at facility
after facility, I see those attachments sitting in a corner unused. Why?
They're too much trouble to hook up, people say, so we don't use
them. Which means they likely wasted $4,000 or $5,000.
With washers, there are a lot of different options available, depend-
ing on your needs, and most are very efficient. Machines are getting
more versatile and more user-friendly, and are increasingly equipped
with cycles that are more attuned to the demands of outpatient facili-
ties. One goes through the entire cycle and does a great job in 40 min-
utes. Manufacturers realize that the goal has to be to increase
throughput without increasing footprint, and they've been able to
shorten rinse and dry cycles to improve efficiency.
Remember, if a washer is going to be used for multiple purposes,
you have to make sure people are using the correct cycles and the
correct detergent. The wrong detergent can destroy instruments.
Another step in the right direction is the introduction of multi-level
sonic cleaners. That's huge, especially for orthopedic facilities with
8 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7
• NIMBLE Today's instrument washers are more
attuned to the demands of outpatient facilities.
Some have cycle times as short as 40 minutes.
