Beyond Clean Podcast

How does Sterile Processing remove the drama from trauma? Whether it is locating that one-of-a-kind set or turning over trays on the tightest timelines, trauma cases can spark chaos for both the operating room and central sterile. On this Season 19 episode of "The Surgeons We Serve," a season focused on spotlighting the intersection of surgeons & surgical instruments, we are joined by Dr. Derek Donegan, Orthopaedic Trauma surgeon, to discuss the best way to provide exceptional patient care in unexpected circumstances. Dr. Donegan shares unique insights on how a surgeon's educational background can impact your inventory needs and walks us through the collaborative efforts that happen behind the drape. If you've ever wondered why every instrument, and the kitchen sink, are called for in trauma cases, this is the episode for you. Join us as we discuss creative ways to overcome inventory shortages, how to leverage your vendor partnerships for the optimal outcome, and what data points are necessary for successful demand planning. It's a new era in trauma surgery, with partnership between surgeons and sterile processing professionals taking our trauma capacity to the next level. Dr. Donegan is available directly at [email protected]. After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit by passing the short quiz linked here: https://www.flexiquiz.com/SC/N/episode19-04 Visit our CE Credit Hub at https://www.beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub to access 350+ FREE CE credits and #KeepFightingDirty!

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "How to Reduce Vendor Trays". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

How do you ensure your endoscopes are procedure and audit-ready, going beyond the simple tracking of endoscopes across your facility? What if you had a guide to help your team walk through the complete endoscope reprocessing loop? On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ series, we sit down with Amanda Prussing, SPM® Product Manager at STERIS, to discuss the SPM® Endo Workflow Solution, which supports all scope management processes, whether based on terminal sterilization or high-level disinfection. We dive into the value of guided workflows created in this solution which marry the IFUs and reprocessing requirements of your scope inventory with the reprocessing capabilities of your department. Tune in to hear how SPM® Endo helps you produce safe, effective, quality confirming outcomes for your scope processing procedures. Follow STERIS Healthcare Products on LinkedIn, Visit STERIS University to Earn FREE CEs, and learn more about the SPM® Endo Workflow Solution by visiting https://www.steris.com/healthcare/products/spm-endoscope-tracking-software #VendorSpotlight #STERIS #SterileProcessing #Endoscope #SPM #Disinfection #HLD #Workflow #Endoscopy #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty #SPD #CS #MDR #SPS

In this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, Hank Balch takes a hard look at department drama and how to address it: -- "Personal matters aside, your sterile processing department has a mission to accomplish, and to do so, there is a certain standard for culture and communication that must be attained. Regardless of the reasons, department drama cannot be tolerated. When technicians begin focusing on each other's personalities and not on the work at hand, we begin doing an injustice to our patients and that is not only unfair, it's also unsafe." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Ever heard the phrase, "It takes one to know one?" Well, in the case of Dr. George Cybulski, Associate Professor Of Surgery at St. George's University, "It takes one to teach one." You see, Dr. Cybulski isn't your average neurosurgeon and medical school professor -- he also happens to hold his Sterile Processing CSPDT certification. On this Season 19 episode of "The Surgeons We Serve," a season focused on spotlighting the intersection of surgeons & surgical instruments, we got to sit down with "Dr. George" to hear how our surgeons get introduced to and come to learn about the surgical instruments we are so familiar with in Sterile Processing. Dr. George highlights the process young surgeons go through during their training, speaks to the tremendous insight he's gained on reprocessing through pursuing his certification, and provides practical takeaways for how to get your own surgeons more involved in education surrounding your surgical trays. We hope you can tune in to this unique episode! You can connect directly with Dr. George on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-cybulski-b646bb13/ Season 19 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "The SPD Detective: Finding Clues in Chemical Labels - Part 1". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

Why are Sterile Processing groups on Facebook so popular? What makes us as an industry so hungry for community & connection? In this CE-approved release of Articles-On-The-Go, Hank Balch answers those questions and add some perspective of his own: "Ultimately, Sterile Processing Facebook groups have done what countless team building exercises and culture trainings never could - created a true, vibrant, industry community who finds value in one another as individuals, who honors other's accomplishments, and seeks to lift up those who are burdened down with frustration and doubt." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

When tiny lives are in the operating room, the superhero partnership between sterile processing and pediatric surgery makes a truly lifelong difference. On this Season 19 episode of "The Surgeons We Serve," a season focused on spotlighting the intersection of surgeons & surgical instruments, we are joined by Dr. Erik Pearson MD FACS, Pediatric Surgeon and founder of CITIZENSURGEON, to discuss the guardianship that comes from providing care in a patient's first moments. Dr. Pearson describes how surgeons form partnerships with both parents and patients, explains how the accuracy of tray assembly saves lives, and highlights how pediatric surgery energizes the professionals in our industry. In this impactful episode, we connect the unique nature of pediatric surgery with moments that have defined our careers. As we launch into a new year this is one conversation that, for the sake of the kids, will inspire you to take your knowledge and skills to the next level. Make sure to check out and subscribe to Dr. Pearson's CITIZENSURGEON on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@citizensurgeon Or you can connect with him directly on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikgpearson/ After finishing this interview, earn your 1 CE credit by passing the short quiz linked here: https://www.flexiquiz.com/SC/N/episode19-02 Visit our CE Credit Hub at https://www.beyondcleanmedia.com/ce-credit-hub to access 350+ FREE CE credits and #KeepFightingDirty!

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "Routine Monitoring: What Should I Know?". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

Listen in, then click here to take your Surgio test drive! https://www.surgio.com/offers/test-drive // Is it possible to have true alignment between Supply Chain & Sterile Processing around the challenges of vendor management & vendor inventory? What if you didn't have to build these bridges alone? Joining us for this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ is Jeff Wertz, Chief Commercial Officer of Surgio Health and 2022-23 Beyond Clean Vendor Management Expert™ to speak with us about the power of data & information to tap into the massive potential within Supply Chain, OR/Sterile Processing, and Vendor partnerships. There are many companies out there claiming to address this piece of the puzzle and that piece of the puzzle, but the team at Surgio Health goes beyond the symptoms of broken processes and works with healthcare facilities to get to the root of their vendor inventory issues to solve the real disease. Listen as Jeff describes how Surgio Health is removing the traditional barriers to entry to next-generation instrument tracking and applying a unique consultative approach to working with all members of the surgical workflow. This is one conversation you won't want to miss! To learn more about Surgio Health, visit http://surgio.com Follow the Surgio Health social media accounts at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/surgiohealth/ https://www.facebook.com/SurgioHealth https://www.instagram.com/surgiohealth/ To book a demo, visit http://surgio-7926787.hs-sites.com/book-a-demo or directly contact Jeff Wertz at [email protected] #SurgioHealth #VendorSpotlight #Podcast #BeyondClean

On this CE-approved release of Articles-On-The-Go, Hank examines the reasons, risks, and potential reward of the Sterile Processing traveling/agency dynamics in departments across the US: "Sterile Processing departments across the country are struggling to recruit and retain high quality, experienced, and certified technicians. Much of this has to do with the pitiful compensations levels associated with the job grade (as low as $10/hour in some places). Hospital administrators and HR leaders are extremely reticent to go above the "market wage average" for these positions or provide any compensation incentives (such as sign-on bonuses or retention bonuses for certified technicians) -- resulting in high vacancy rates, high turnover percentages, decreases in total department experience, and near inability to recruit experienced certified SPD technicians..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

What's going on in the minds of our surgeons when the patient rolls in, and they take hold of the scalpel for their first incision? If we better understand the burdens of life & death they bear with each procedure, will that help how our Sterile Processing teams can effectively serve them? On this Season 19 premiere of "The Surgeons We Serve," a season focused on spotlighting the intersection of surgeons & surgical instruments, we sit down with Dr. Bryan Sagray, DPM FACFAS, foot & ankle surgeon, artist, and writer, to dive into his insights on the art & science of surgery. Tune in as we discuss the creative side of surgery, confronting the reality of surgical complications, and the need for greater understanding among all members of the perioperative team. For many of you this may be the first time you've ever heard a surgeon directly speak about Sterile Processing, so if you want to hear more, make sure to connect with Dr. Sagray directly on Linkedin to let him know what you thought: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-sagray-dpm-facfas/ We hope you enjoy the show! Season 19 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 500 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "No Cookie Cutter Approach - Part 2". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

On this CE-approved release of Articles-On-The-Go, Hank Balch examines what it's like to be on the "other" side of the instrument, and to experience surgery as a patient..."Ultimately, I was confronted with only one choice -- trust the process. I had to hope and believe that this Sterile Processing team had it together, that they were committed to being weapons of mass microbial destruction, every instrument, every time. The trays they would use for my procedure would have already been through the entire process and were now (hopefully) sitting on a case cart in some hallway with my name on it. My name. All those instruments were going inside my body, with the purpose of healing and not hurting. I had to trust that this would be the case..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

How can your Sterile Processing department move a directionless group of people with ineffective processes and a shortage of reprocessed instruments to a team that collaborates and communicates with the Operating Room on a regular basis? What practices or tools are necessary to improve communication between both departments, and within the SPD itself? On this week's Beyond Clean special release, we're sharing an exclusive interview from the 2014 HPN SPD Department of the Year award winner, SPD Manager at Jim Tyrell SPD Manager at Silver Cross Hospital, from our "Conference of Champions" event earlier this year. Join us to hear from Jim and Marybeth Antone, Procedural Care Unit Administrative Director, about how they expanded the scope of their SPD responsibilities and how their team improved through internal process-improvement programs to build an award-winning department. Each "Conference of Champions" special release episode is individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "What's In Your Peel Pack?". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

On this CE-approved episode of Articles-On-The-Go, listen as Hank Balch spells out the lessons that should be learned from headline grabbing quality breakdowns such as what happened at Porter Adventist Hospital in 2018. Could your facility be the next Porter? "We have learned the dangers are real and the damages to our patient trust and public relations are massive, but the determination to solve these issues is too often still met with half-hearted nods from a C-suite who assume if surgeries are still happening, everything must be okay in Sterile Processing. As each of these sterilization scares show us, that is most definitely NOT the case. The only real way to protect your hospital and your patients from being the next Porter is to take these quality threats seriously...before it's too late... " To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

How many unsterile trays are waiting for you every morning when you arrive in Sterile Processing? Do you feel like you're always playing catch-up, but constantly falling further behind? On this week's Beyond Clean special release, we're sharing an exclusive interview from the 2018 HPN SPD Department of the Year award winner, SPD Manager at Advocate Aurora Christ Medical Center, from our "Conference of Champions" event earlier this year. Theodule knows the feeling of overcoming unprocessed trays very well. When faced with an average of 650 unsterile trays every morning, shockingly high IUSS rates, incomplete trays, missing instruments, and a skyrocketing employee turnover rate, Theodule and the team at ACMC developed and implemented an interventional plan to improve operations and service quality for reprocessing instruments and trays. How? By embracing the concepts of process improvement and lean methodology. They used process flow mapping, spaghetti diagrams, and time studies to reorganize the department into an efficient and safe work area. Join us to hear from Yves and Katie Sikora, MSN, RN, CNOR Executive Director of Surgical and Endoscopy Services to find out how they put this plan in place and began their "March to Zero" to improve the crucial work being done in their Sterile Processing department. Each "Conference of Champions" special release episode is individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "SPD and OR Teams Must Create A United Front". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

How do you avoid human error within your critical Sterile Processing workflows? What can you do today to improve traceability and reduce time spent waiting on monitoring results at every stage of reprocessing? Joining us for this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ are Terragene team members Mark Duro CRCST, FCS, Industry Subject Matter Expert & Education Manager and Hisashi Konno, Biomedical Engineer & Product Specialist to speak with us about the role that constant innovation plays in keeping our departments ahead of the technology curve. With patient safety in surgery completely dependent on compliant reprocessing protocols in Sterile Processing, comprehensive solutions are a must-have. Listen as they describe how Terragene is leading the industry with cutting edge technology to make this both possible and affordable for hospitals around the country, and across the globe. Tune in for the full conversation! To learn more about Terragene, visit https://terragene.com/ Follow the Terragene social media accounts at: https://www.facebook.com/terragenesa https://www.linkedin.com/company/terragene/ https://www.instagram.com/terragene.tg For general information, reach out to [email protected] or better yet, contact Ruben Rios in marketing or Mark directly! [email protected] [email protected] #Terragene #VendorSpotlight #Podcast #BeyondClean

In this CE-approved episode of Articles On-The-Go, Hank Balch discusses the road to becoming a department leader and how to best navigate it: -- "If there's one point where far too many new sterile processing professionals fail, it is realizing that every single day is an interview. You may think that because everyone else is doing it or because that's how your trainer told you to do it, then it's okay to engage in bad habits or related behaviors, but here's the deal: nobody else is going to be the manager either if they are not acting like a leader today." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

In many healthcare facilities, Sterile Processing departments fall under the reporting structure of perioperative services. The same cannot be said at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The Central Processing department at this facility broke the mold when it joined forces with Supply Chain and created a new reporting structure within their surgical services. On this week's Beyond Clean special release, we're sharing an exclusive interview from the 2019 HPN SPD Department of the Year award winner, CHOP's Robert Silverstein, Senior Director, Central Processing and High-Level Disinfection/Sterilization, from our "Conference of Champions" event earlier this year. Join us for this interview as we hear from Robert about the benefits his department has experienced since making this structural change to report to & through Supply Chain. From the optimization of preference cards and supply chain management to the significant improvement to OR "On Time" starts, this reporting structure is certainly proven to be effective. Gather around with your favorite inventory specialist and tune in for this collaborative discussion! Each "Conference of Champions" special release episode is individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "Putting the Puzzle Together for Point of Use Pre-Cleaning Compliance - Part 2". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

With features that help streamline processes and reduce the possibility of wet sets, Aesculap's next generation rigid container is everything you'd expect from the market leader.¹ The new AESCULAP Aicon™ Sterile Container System is a sterilization powerhouse that delivers 100% container and basket synchronization, up to 47 percent less dry time with the Enhanced Drying System (EDS)² and up to a 200 percent increase in sterile aseptic area.³ On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ we talk with Michael Strand, Regional Sales Director at Aesculap AIC about the ways these containers may provide an immediate impact to patient outcomes, operational efficiency, sustainability, and staff satisfaction. Tune in to hear how Aesculap's constant innovation offers the most comprehensive, FDA-approved selection of container sizes and applications on the market, including steam, IUSS and ETO modalities. Visit Aesculap online at aesculapusa.com and check out the Aesculap Academy at educate.beyondclean.net/aesculap. Get updates on products and services by following Aesculap (US) on LinkedIn. #VendorSpotlight #AesculapUSA #Efficiency #Sustainability #SterileProcessing #Quality #RigidContainer #Containers #PatientSafety #OperatingRoom #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty #SPD #CSSD #SPS #Surgery #MDR ¹ According to ECRI data from May 2020 to June 2021 ² With AESCULAP Aicon EDS models. Data on file. ³ Data on file.

On this CE approved release of Articles On-The-Go, we confront the industry secret of non-compliance. Are you really following ALL of the your manufacturer's instructions for use? Is it even possible? "So I want to issue a call to action today. If you're a vendor of medical devices, equipment, instrument tracking, sterility assurance or any other CS product/service -- WE NEED YOUR HELP! Get your CS customer behind closed doors and get some honesty from them. You may be surprised at what you hear." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Is it possible for one Sterile Processing department to support the daily decontamination, assembly, and sterilization needs of an entire healthcare system? Does centralizing instrument reprocessing still render the same quality and service as an in-house SPD? On this week's Beyond Clean special release, we're sharing an exclusive interview from the 2020 HPN SPD Department of the Year award winner, M Health Fairview's Lori Ferrer, from our "Conference of Champions" event earlier this year. No one knows how to meet centralized surgical instrumentation needs quite like Lori Ferrer and her team of Sterile Processing technicians at M Health Fairview's Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD). Through a system-wide standardization of surgical trays and a detailed instrument tracking process, this department is equipped with the tools necessary to streamline all steps in their reprocessing cycle. Tune in to find out how this Central Sterile Services Department successfully reprocesses a whopping four million surgical instruments annually! Each "Conference of Champions" special release episode is individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

[Listen & download the BONUS content!] Validated disinfection of channel-less endoscopes & TEE probes without water or chemicals all in less than 60 seconds? Welcome to the UV-C revolution, #CleanFreaks! Joining us for this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ interview is Daan Hoek, co-founder at UV Smart, to discuss how their D60 disinfecting equipment (FDA registered Class 2) is now providing the US with a sustainable, economical, and environmentally friendly solution for tackling some of our biggest infection control gaps. Tune in to hear Daan explain how the D60 achieves minimum log-4 reduction on the full spectrum of infection-causing microorganisms (such as bacteria, spores, and viruses), and actually keeps track of who cleans, disinfects, and removes an endoscope from the D60 after each cycle, eliminating opportunities for reprocessing mistakes. Listen to the full interview here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/beyondclean/BC_UVS_VS1.mp3 Click on the gift icon to download the BONUS content via pdf. Check out this short YouTube video about how to implement the D60 system: https://educate.beyondclean.net/uvsmartd60 Find out more about UV Smart by visiting: https://www.uv-smart.com/beyondclean Or connect directly with Daan Hoek on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daanhoek/ #UVSmart #D60 #Disinfection #UVC #TEEProbes #ENTScopes #BeyondClean #VendorSpotlight #Podcast #WeFightDirty

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, listen as Hank explains the common experiences of OR bullies and what you can do about it: "For all those in this industry who see or hear of surgeon bullying happening to your CS/SPD team, stand up and speak out for these victims downstairs. We need your voice. We need your support. We need our story to be told. And we need these surgical bullies to be held accountable. Change is possible. But it will take courage..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

What is the power of creating partnerships in the perioperative setting? How do these partnerships impact Sterile Processing success and quality of patient care? On this week's Beyond Clean special release, we're sharing an exclusive interview from the 2022 HPN SPD Department of the Year award winners, NorthShore University Health, from our "Conference of Champions" event earlier this year. If you ask NorthShore University Health System's Director of Sterile Processing, Courtney Mace Davis, she will tell you the value of establishing "perioperative partnerships" in healthcare settings is indispensable. How do you establish these partnerships you may ask? In their opinion it all starts and ends with RESPECT! Join Courtney, along with Embry Alavarez & Caryn Moore to hear how thier SPD team learned how to engender respect for their role through cross-departmental partnerships, accountability, and automation. Gather your favorite perioperative co-workers and tune in! Each "Conference of Champions" special release episode is individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "No Cookie Cutter Approach: Part 1". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, listen as Hank underlines the top 10 ways hospitals put their patients and Sterile Processing Departments at risk: "Chances are high that there may be unmet needs sitting in plain sight in your facility's CS/SPD department. Even if this team made it through your most recent infection control tracer or tri-annual survey, there may still be issues that need addressing, capital that needs investing, and collaboration that needs implementing. Because many CS problems occur out of sight of perioperative leaders and are physically removed from frontline patient care, it can be easy for hospital administrators to underestimate the real scope of their challenges and the fundamental importance they play..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's… a Joint Commission Surveyor! Accreditation happens every three years, but we prepare for it every day. Will your next survey leave you with a fear of findings, or will you pass with flying colors? This week on Season 18 "Investing in Instrument Safety" which is focused on getting our team the time, money, and support we need to protect our surgical inventory we meet with Angela Lewellyn, Director of Development and Research for Advantage Support Services as we discuss how a culture of accountability will impact your team's survey readiness. From having the right inspection equipment, to what a true competency is, Angela's unique perspective highlights where the time and energy should be placed for patient and instrument safety. Tune in as we discuss the often-overlooked factors that will impact your next accreditation survey and learn how Infection Prevention can be your secret weapon for proactive change. It's all about tech centered results and survey success in this finale for season 18 of the Beyond Clean Podcast. Season 18 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "Where's My Indicator?". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

Effective endoscopy cleaning is one of the greatest challenges of modern instrument reprocessing. Superbugs and healthcare acquired infections (HAI) are lurking in unseen channels and studies are showing many of our current cleaning practices are still missing the mark. Joining us for this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ is Jason Minutillo, Director of Quality for SPD and HLD for UCHealth, to speak to the critical role that manual cleaning in general, and effective brushing in particular, plays in taking these medical devices from dirty to clean so that they can be dependably disinfected or sterilized. Learn about the evidence the PULL THRU™ team use to support their belief that the PULL THRU™ Cleaning Brush is the most beneficial single-pass cleaning brush on the market today. Tune in to hear more! If you enjoy what you hear on today's Vendor Spotlight™, contact PULL THRU™ or your local distributor for a demo pack – containing a short length of channel and a PULL THRU brush. Dip one end of the tube into a cup of cold coffee and see how well the PULL THRU brush works (but don't drink the coffee afterwards!) You can also visit PULL THRU™ on their website at pullthru.net.nz Email them at [email protected] Or follow them on LinkedIn and Twitter (@Pull_Thru_Brush) #PullThru #Brushes #FlexibleScopes #Lumens #Cannulas #Education #SterileProcessing #OperatingRoom #Endoscopy #VendorSpotlight #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, listen as Hank equips fearless leaders with the "weapons" of on-boarding to make successful and fierce technicians: "Few things are more important to the life and strength of your CS department than getting onboarding/training right. If poor training practices become your Achilles' heel, your team and surgical quality could suffer for generations, with the same bad habits, bad culture, and bad information being passed on from one technician to another. Our mission of safe patient care is too important to compromise with just having a "warm body" to fill a staffing need, or settling for a technician who is "good enough" to get by. We need to be producing cultural CS-warriors and warrior-learners who know every square inch of our departments and are willing to stand their ground against the massive microbial army constantly seeking to do our patients harm." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Is there such a thing as the perfectly set up tray? One that protects your instruments, makes the OR jump for joy, and above all, keeps the patients we care for as safe as possible? This week on Season 18 "Investing in Instrument Safety" which is focused on getting our team the time, money, and support we need to protect our surgical inventory we meet with Nicholas Day, Manager of Central Sterile Processing at University Hospitals to discuss how instrument tray set up can be a key factor in your team's success. In this episode, Nicholas outlines what true collaboration with the operating room looks like and shares his process for achieving count sheet excellence. If tray standardization, set consistency, and instrument damage are part of your department's focus this year, this is the episode for you! Join us as we discuss the tools, techniques, and tracking system hacks that will give your instruments, and patients, that next level of protection. Season 18 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "Understanding Different Types of Repair Programs - Conclusion". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

The world of safely & compliantly managing ultrasound probe inventory is no easy feat. Manual leak testing is excessively time-consuming, and the lack of proactive equipment management leaves these high-cost devices open to regular inventory downtime and catastrophic failure. On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™, we speak with Levi Moore, B.Sc., MBA, President and COO Acertara Acoustic Laboratories, about his company's mission to simultaneously reduce the costs associated with maintaining this equipment, while ensuring both patient and user safety, as well as the clinical integrity of the ultrasound examination itself. Tune in to find out about how the Ampsafe™ microprocessor based Ultrasound Transducer Leakage tester automates the manual steps currently required in leakage testing, presents actual leakage values, ensures data integrity, and automatically communicates these results to your clinical engineer team! Sterile processing departments who are interested in moving their electrical testing into an automated and time and money-saving process can contact Levi's team through their website (www.acertaralabs.com), via email (at [email protected]), or by phone (303.834.8413). And don't forget to follow Acertara on Linkedin for more education around ultrasound quality, testing, and safety! https://www.linkedin.com/company/acertara/

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, listen as Hank describes how to cultivate technicians that believe in your department's mission: "don't underestimate the power of highlighting concrete examples of your mission-in- action for your team. This means taking every opportunity available to make all those lofty words and ideals mean something real to your people, something they can almost touch..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Scopes are some of the most expensive devices we have in our inventory -- both flexible and rigid models. So, when these devices break or need replacing, it's always a pretty big deal. How do you address it in your facility? On this episode of Season 18 "Investing in Instrument Safety," which is focused on getting our teams the time, money, and support we need to protect our surgical inventory, we speak with Damon Miles, SPD Educator at Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, about the educational side of protecting these delicate windows into the patient. Tune in to hear how best to position the high-value of these devices during your onboarding & training program, what kinds of protection gaps face us during the reprocessing & transportation phases, and some practical takeaways your team can implement today to further invest in saving your scopes from damage! We hope you can join us! Season 18 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "How Do I Know It's Sterile?". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

With over 150+ years in the surgical instrument manufacturing & repair business, Aesculap knows a thing or two about what it takes to solve the everyday problems of their clinical partners in Sterile Processing & the Operating Room. On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ we talk with Pawel Szczygiel, Manager, ATS Repairs at Aesculap USA about the depth of expertise that goes into every surgical instrument repair they support in over 50 countries around the globe, and their commitment to working hard to help your surgical team operate with greater precision. Tune in to hear how they are leveraging the latest education & technology to continue staying out in front of medical device repairs from scopes, to power equipment, to stainless steel and beyond. Visit Aesculap online at aesculapusa.com and check out the Aesculap Academy at educate.beyondclean.net/aesculap. Get updates on products and services by following Aesculap (US) on LinkedIn. #VendorSpotlight #AesculapUSA #InstrumentQuality #SterileProcessing #Quality #ATS #Repair #RigidContainer #Containers #PatientSafety #OperatingRoom #Efficiency #SurgicalInstruments #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty #SPD #CSSD #SPS #Surgery #MDR

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, listen as Hank outlines best practices for balancing school & a Sterile Processing career: "As with any other goal in life, completing college is something countless folks have done before you and many more will do after you. And many of us have also done it while working in our local SPD department. While becoming an A+ student/technician won't be easy, it's totally doable, and it's possible to do it excellently. Hopefully these tips will encourage you to stay the course, get the grade, and keep #FightingDirty wherever you go in life..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

You know that technician right beside you in decontamination today? Yeah, that one breaking a sweat as they keep up with the 20 add-on cases that just rolled in. Well, they may just end up running the entire hospital one day. True story. On this episode of Season 18 "Investing in Instrument Safety," which is focused on getting our teams the time, money, and support we need to protect our surgical inventory, we sit down with Benjamin Brodersen, former Sterile Processing technician now President of Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center, to discuss his experiences working his way from a frontline reprocessing technician, manager, performance improvement, administrator, and finally hospital president in North Carolina. Tune in to hear his story of growth sparked by his early time in Sterile Processing, and how the mission-mindedness he developed there has carried him all the way to the C-Suite. Whatever you thought you knew about career progression, mentorship, and your hospital administrators, this interview might have a thing or two that surprised you! We hope you are inspired to dream big and do big things after listening in! Season 18 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty #Season18

On this week's edition of the Beyond Clean Expert Series On-The-Go, tune in for the conversation entitled, "Putting the Puzzle Together for Point-of-Use Pre-Cleaning Compliance: Part 1". To hear more from this expert, follow us on Facebook and Linkedin, or subscribe to the Beyond Clean mailing list by visiting: https://educate.beyondclean.net/cleanfreaks or text BEYONDCLEAN to 22828 Do you know a #SterileProcessing expert who you'd love to hear from on our series? Or do you have a question for one of our current experts? Contact us at any time via email at: [email protected] Until next time, keep fighting dirty! #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #ExpertSeries #Podcast

Nothing that happens in our Sterile Processing departments happens in a silo -- especially when it comes to the reprocessing workflow of our surgical trays. Even though we know this truth, it can be difficult to see the impact each member of the larger healthcare team has on our daily mission: Sterile Processing, Vendor Reps, and the Manufacturer. How can these three perspectives align to overcome the reprocessing challenges we all face? On this week's release of the Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ series we speak with Roger Fries, SPD clinical manager at OrthoIndy in Indianapolis, Ryan Pistone, Former orthopedic representative at Zimmer Biomet, and Rick Martz, sales representative of ONE TRAY® and EZ-TRAX™ at 3T Medical about their experiences navigating the complexities of supporting surgery with sterile inventory, every surgery, every time. Join us for a conversation that goes beyond assumptions to what each perspective really adds to getting surgical instruments from dirty, to clean, to sterile, without missing a beat! You can learn more by visiting www.onetray.com or E-mail them at [email protected] Don't forget to look for educational information and ask questions directly on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onetray-ist/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ONETRAYIST #VendorSpotlight #Innovation #Disruption #Users #48Storage #ONETRAY #EZTRAX #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty #SPD #CS #MDR #SPS #Surgery #VendorRep #Manufacturers

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, Hank Balch highlights one of those email faux pas you should avoid in SPD leadership: the CC Shotgun: "This mistake assumes that everyone needs to know something that really only one person needs to know. A good rule of thumb is to ask others beforehand if they want to be CC'ed regarding particular topics. Keep in mind, if you are emailing about an "issue" or error, taking the shotgun approach to CC'ing can come off as ganging up on a person or department. Because of the nature of email, everyone you CC and anything you write can be interpreted in different ways. Take care not to pull the CC-trigger too carelessly..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

Do broken cultures inevitably lead to broken instruments? Does lack of trust between the Sterile Processing & Operating Room teams lead to lack of timely turnovers? On this Season 18 "Investing in Instrument Safety," which is focused on getting our teams the time, money, and support we need to protect our surgical inventory, we sit down with Jason Pacino Operations Manager Sterile Processing at Highland Hospital, to discuss his experiences overcoming the systemic challenges of "us vs them" between SPD & OR to build a quality program that serves both teams, and ultimately the patient, well. Tune in to hear the role frontline technicians play in this culture shift, how leaders can hardwire respect & collaboration across multiple departments, and what the tangible results of this commitment are in light of surgical instrument quality coming out of Sterile Processing. Drop your weapons for a moment and join us for a conversation on peace-making in the name of patient safety. We know you'll enjoy! Season 18 episodes are individually approved for 1 CE, so once you finish this interview, you can download your CE certificate immediately by passing the short quiz linked below each week. For access to this CE quiz and over 300 other free CE credits, visit our CE Credit Hub: http://www.beyondclean.net/ce-credit-hub

On this CE-approved release of Articles On-The-Go, Hank Balch recalls what it was like leading his first SPD staff meeting and recounts some lessons to help you lead your next SPD meeting #LikeABoss: "You need to consider the fact that any meeting you lead may include some questions, concerns, or even "push-back" from those in the room (either your staff, OR counterparts, or administrative leaders). Find out who will be there, and try to anticipate what their objections or concerns may be -- then go on the offensive. If you address a concern head on, before it is raised, not only do you retain control of the train of thought, you demonstrate your grasp of the depth and breadth of the issue at hand..." To read this article, take the CE quiz & download your certificate, click here. Stay tuned for new CE approved Articles On-the-Go releasing each week! Bookmark our new AOTG CE page here: https://www.beyondclean.net/articles-on-the-go #FightingDirty #HankBalch #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™ Click To Subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify or Visit Our Website!

What impact does surgical instrument data have on the real-world challenges we face daily in Sterile Processing? Is it possible to increase efficiency and reduce costs in the current age of systemic staffing shortages? On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™, we speak with MarBeth Petty, Instrument Implementation Manager with Symmetry Surgical, about how their team is empowering Sterile Processing departments across the country with powerful inventory data to make lasting, positive changes in their facilities. Tune in as MarBeth shares a story of how this collaboration impacted a local hospital and led them to extend the data initiative across their entire health system! Click on the "Bonus Content" in your Beyond Clean Mobile App for this episode to download the latest Symmetry Surgical whitepaper discussed on this episode or visit https://cdn.brandfolder.io/TVDZACS7/at/hvqn8mw35nk6z6p83qc63k/SS_Memorial_Hermann_Case_Study_WhitePaper_FA_04262022_v1.pdf. Finally, visit their website at www.symmetrysurgical.com/instrument-inventory-solutions to learn more about how Symmetry Surgical Instrument Inventory Solutions like Count Sheet Commander™ and Set IQ™ are helping Sterile Processing teams just like you leverage the power of data to improve your department!