Sterile & On-time

American International Healthcare Group qualified Consultants can review the operations of the Sterile Processing Department (SPD).  Our 136 point review can be conducted over a four day period and includes a review of daily operations, delivery of products to and from the OR, interactions with other departments, current processes, policies, procedures, and workflow.  We also reviewed whether the hospital was following current Joint Commission, AAMI, AORN, APIC, CDC, and IAHCSMM industry standards and best practices.

With the goal of providing excellence in patient care, and of achieving and maintaining Accreditation through The Joint Commission (TJC), we take into consideration how TJC would review your facility.  TJC has recently intensified their efforts in the comprehensive review of SPD departments.  A publication by TJC outlines the following categories as critical areas for review: policies and procedures, sterilization, high level disinfection, leadership, risk assessment, transport, decontamination, prep and pack, sterile storage, documentation, environment of care, competency training, and compliance with industry standards. 

In addition, we looked at industry trends and comparisons of how your department is operating vs the state of the art SPD.  Areas we included are a review of documentation and load recognition, instrument tracking, following of manufacturer’s instructions for use, equipment installation qualification, (IQ), operational qualification (OQ), and performance qualification (PQ) on washers, sterilizers, sealers, and other equipment.  We reviewed whether personnel were certified by an accrediting body, whether documentation was performed correctly, logs maintained, and continuing education was provided.

In order to simplify and condense the assessment to an executive review process, we looked from a macro level.  We condensed the process to three key performance indicators: People, Process, and Product.  

• Are the People adequately trained, certified, qualified, and is there an environment of continuous focus on Safety and Quality? 

• Are there well defined Processes outlining policies and procedures?  Is there adequate training, education, demonstration of competencies, infection control practices and adequate documentation?  

• Is the department currently producing a Product of quality, that meets the requirements of its customer, is able to be used, trusted, and complete 95% of the time? 

If you cannot answer these questions with certainty, perhaps it is time  to have a quality audit of your sterile processing department performances. 

Our goal is to teach your team to meet and sustain best practices, industry standards, and TJC survey expectations.   We will also build a  self sufficient department under the guidance of your SPD manager that will understand how and what is expected as well as the skills to  lead the department to successful, continuous process improvement. Your SPD department will then  maintain the processes and efficiencies that have been implemented by our team, making it their own.  This will result in an efficient system in which all will strive to support excellence in patient care.  

 A Price to Fit Your Budget:  The fee for this service is based on a daily rate, and most small- to  medium-sized facilities usually require three to four day on-site assessment.   
All aspects of the department will be reviewed including. 

• Staffing Compliment & Skill Mix
• Staff Resource to Workload Alignment
• Time Management 
• Downtime Utilization
• Staff Education
• Orientation and Training Programs

• Joint Commission
• Standards of Practice
• AAMI
• AORN
• OSHA

• Workflow Process Improvement
• Strategic Program Planning 
• Analysis of Area Design 
• Facility Layout 
• Staff Work Flow and Productivity 
• Staff Development 
• Program Assistance
• Instrument Management System Implementation
• OR Needs to Instrument Resource Availability 
• Reprocessing Capacity to Demand
• Consignment/Vendor Tray Organization  

• Infection Control Practices 
• Quality Assurance Testing
• Instrument and Equipment Inventory Management
• Work Flow Delineation
• Staff Safety

• Decontamination 
• Instrument Inspection & Set Assembly
• Sterilization Practices 
• Logistics & Sterile Tray Handling
• Case Cart Assembly & Distribution
• Inventory Accuracy & Management
• Equipment Preventative Maintenance