Standards strengthen sterilization, disinfection process chains
Preventing infection from contaminated surgical tools requires attention to every link in a complex chain of processes, from point-of-use pretreatment in the OR to the moment the freshly disinfected or sterilized item arrives at the next patient’s bedside. For those on the front lines, manufacturers’ written instructions for use (IFUs)…
Kentucky Derby, SPD race: Leadership lessons energized SPD professionals at HSPA 2025
Editor's Note A session at the 2025 Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Annual Conference used a striking analogy, comparing the Kentucky Derby to the daily operations of a sterile processing department (SPD) to energize professionals and reframe persistent challenges in the field, Infection Control Today April 27 reports. The article…
How dialogue, data bridge the OR-SPD information gap
In the OR, precision and focus can mean the difference between life and death. However, surgical patient outcomes hinge on more than the competence of those working in these inherently intense environments. Every procedure also depends on the laborious, behind-the-scenes efforts of the people responsible for ensuring every surgical instrument…
Introducing New Leader Toolkit: Your guide to OR leadership success
Editor's Note Stepping into a leadership role in the OR is both exciting and demanding. From budgeting and performance metrics to staffing and scheduling, there is a lot to navigate right from day one. To help new leaders step into their roles with confidence—and to offer fresh insights for seasoned…
Mastering CMS regulations: How to ensure a finding-free Joint Commission survey
Takeaways • Requirements for improvement and condition level deficiency findings have been trending up in recent The Joint Commission surveys. • The scoring trends and OR hot spots focus on infection control, medication management, national patient safety goals, post-surgical electronic health record tracers, and transplant (tissue) safety. • Federal regulations,…
Offsite sterilization fuels onsite efficiency for lean ASCs
For many in the healthcare industry, imagining surgery without onsite sterile processing seems unthinkable. Then again, performing total joints in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) was unthinkable 10 years ago. ASC sterile processing departments (SPDs) are generally not designed to handle the high volumes of instrument trays, vendor trays, and…
Water quality: 5 Ws and an H for sterile processing pros
Asking who, what, why, when, where, and how—otherwise known as the “5 Ws and an H”— is a time-tested way for writers and researchers to ensure comprehensive coverage of any topic. Here, we apply this framework from the perspective of sterile processing department (SPD) professionals seeking to start a water…
August is National ASC Month: Supporting the ASC industry
Editor's Note Every August, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) promote awareness of how they "have transformed the outpatient experience by offering a convenient and personalized alternative to the hospital outpatient surgical setting," notes the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA). This year, ASCA and other organizations are using the month to educate…
Meeting the SPD staffing challenge
Takeaways • Failure to understand the complexity of the work performed in the sterile processing department (SPD) can lead to staff shortages, errors, and significant financial loss. • Strategies for addressing SPD staffing include effective orientation, certification, competency assessment, analyzing staffing needs, and leader visibility. • SPD schedules should reflect…
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