Rigid Sealed Containers
Here's why many facilities are moving away from blue wrap.
B
lue wrap is cheap, boundless and easy to dispose, but in this
case, the cheaper the option, the higher the risk. Blue wrap
tears. When it does, the tray and instruments contained in the
blue wrap have to be re-sterilized. Surgical facilities large and small
are finding rigid sealed containers to be more reliable ways to pack,
deliver and hold instruments before, during and after sterilization.
Buying containers might seem like a costly measure upfront as
opposed to using blue wrap. A few years ago, our 2-hospital system
invested $606,300 in containers. At $1,290 per container, we bought
about 300 for one hospital and 170 for another. Here are the benefits
we've experienced that already have made the investment a worth-
while one.
• You'll save in the long run. Though the initial cost of the contain-
ers might seem steep at first, what you save by cutting spending on
blue wrap quickly adds up. Sealed containers last for 15 or 20 years
and eliminate the waste of single-use wrap. Plus, with the availability
of sizes and flexible storage designs within, they can hold a higher vol-
ume of instruments that can be arranged according to preference or
need. With a higher volume of instruments going through at a faster
turnover rate, you can schedule more cases and bring in more rev-
enue, knowing your sterile processing department is running more
efficiently. In the long run, what you're paying for is better staff effi-
ciency, and it's hard to put a price on that.
• Faster dry times. Another benefit that some containers feature is
a filtered base that reduces dry time after sterilization. This feature
lets steam fill the container during reprocessing, and then filter
through and escape once the process is complete without condensa-
tion gathering, making the container and instruments ready for use
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Thinking of Buying …
Erinta Betarello-Hemerka, MBA
