personnel in giving more attention to detail for challenging areas of
instrumentation.
ATP testing technology and related auditing tools create a culture of
accountability and high-quality standards throughout the SPD depart-
ment, says Mr. Lawrence. "Every technician is challenged in every
area," he says, "by spot-testing instruments in decontamination,
assembly and auditing sets that have completed the sterilization
process." ATP testing can even be extended to other work surfaces
and equipment to ensure high standards of environmental cleaning
are also maintained, he adds.
Fight dirty
With the challenge of infection prevention ever before us, testing the
limits of human ingenuity and scientific advancement, it is easy to for-
get that we're making real progress. If these innovations teach us any-
thing, it's that we should never settle for the status quo of infection
prevention. What worked 5 years ago is not necessarily the best
option for today's microbial challenges. Collabor-ation with other
leaders experiencing success in this area is the key to the future of
infection-free patient care.
OSM
5 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 • J U N E 2 0 1 8
Mr. Balch (hank@beyondclean.net) is the founder and co-host of the "Beyond
Clean" industry podcast (www.beyondclean.net). Follow him on Twitter at
@BeyondCleanInfo.
