Decontamination is a vital and labor-intensive stage in sterile processing departments. While it serves as the first step toward sterilization and safe surgical outcomes, the high volume of tasks involved means that inefficiencies can significantly bog down productivity. Managers often pinpoint decontamination as the key area for productivity boosts, but how can they identify and implement effective solutions? 

In our previous blog, we discussed the productivity pitfalls posed by manual processes in decontamination, including manual cleaning, the manual handling of chemistries, and unassisted visual inspection. These processes contribute to significant productivity drains—slow speeds, inconsistent results, and human error. But what if there were ways to automate and optimize these areas to ensure greater efficiency, consistency, and, ultimately, better patient outcomes? 

1.Ergonomics

Enhance Technician Comfort with Height-Adjustable Sinks

Decontamination sinks that are not height-adjustable force technicians to work in uncomfortable postures, leading to strain and fatigue over long shifts. Height-adjustable sinks allow each technician to customize the sink height to their ergonomic needs, reducing bending and reaching that can cause discomfort or long-term injuries. 

By investing in adjustable sinks, sterile processing and gastroenterology departments can create a more comfortable work environment that enhances efficiency. When technicians and nurses are less fatigued, they can maintain focus and precision in cleaning, leading to better overall reprocessing outcomes. 

Reduce Strain with Wrist Rests

Long hours of scrubbing and handling of instruments in decontamination can place significant strain on technicians’ wrists, increasing the risk of repetitive motion injuries. Wrist rests provide ergonomic support, reducing pressure on the hands and wrists during extended cleaning sessions. 

Incorporating wrist rests at decontamination sinks promotes better posture, reduces fatigue, and helps prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). By prioritizing technician well-being, SPDs can maintain productivity while ensuring staff comfort and long-term health. 

2. Efficiency

Eliminate Syringe Flushing with Automated Flushing Devices

Automated flushing systems provide a solution to the slow, manual process of syringe flushing. By integrating an automated system, technicians ensure consistent and thorough flushing with minimal effort.  

These systems reduce the risk of human error, ensuring each instrument is cleaned to the same standard every time. The automation also speeds up the process, cutting down on the time spent flushing instruments and preventing the need for reprocessing due to inconsistencies in manual flushing. This leads to more efficient manual cleaning, freeing up technicians to focus on other tasks and saving money. 

Say Goodbye to Manual Chemical Handling: Automated Dosing Pumps 

Automated dosing pumps eliminate the need for manual measuring and mixing of cleaning chemicals, ensuring that decontamination sinks are consistently supplied with properly concentrated detergents and disinfectants. These systems accurately dispense the exact amount of cleaning solution needed for each task, preventing variations that can occur with manual mixing. 

By removing the risk of over- or under-concentrated solutions, automated dosing systems help maintain the effectiveness of cleaning agents while reducing chemical waste. This not only improves cleaning consistency but also enhances technician safety by minimizing direct handling of concentrated chemicals. When integrated into decontamination sinks, these systems streamline workflows, reduce errors, and ensure compliance with manufacturer Instructions for Use (IFUs) and industry standards—ultimately supporting a more efficient and effective cleaning process. 

3. Lighting

Enhance Inspections with Technology: Borescopes and Task Lights

Borescopes offer a magnified view of hard-to-reach areas in instruments, enabling technicians to spot debris and contaminants that would otherwise be missed with the naked eye. The high-resolution image provided by borescopes ensures that even the smallest particles are detected, enhancing the thoroughness of inspections and preventing missed contaminants that could lead to reprocessing. 

Implementing borescope inspections in decontamination rather than assembly provides a key advantage: identifying damage or residual debris before instruments progress further in reprocessing. If an instrument enters a washer with unnoticed damage or contamination, the entire cycle may be wasted—costing valuable time and resources.  

Additionally, many instrument manufacturers’ Instructions for Use (IFU) require visual inspection during decontamination. For example, some arthroscopy shaver IFUs specify that inspection must occur before further cleaning or sterilization. ANSI/AAMI ST91 also recommends that visual inspection and cleaning verification be completed before instruments move into an Automated Endoscope Reprocessor or sterilization. By integrating borescopes in decontamination, SPDs can align with IFU and industry guidelines while ensuring instruments are thoroughly inspected early in the process, ultimately preventing delays and improving overall efficiency. 

Additionally, task lighting designed specifically for inspection areas ensures optimal illumination, reducing shadows and improving visibility. With adjustable, bright lighting, technicians can more adequately see contaminants in every corner, making visual inspections more accurate and efficient. 

Maximize Visibility with Light Hood & In-Basin Lighting

Proper illumination in decontamination sinks is critical for ensuring thorough cleaning and inspection. Light hoods provide broad, overhead illumination, reducing shadows and glare in key work areas.  

In-basin lighting enhances visibility during critical decontamination tasks, such as leak testing for flexible endoscopes. Proper illumination within the basin allows technicians to clearly observe air bubbles that indicate leaks, ensuring accurate testing results. Without adequate lighting, small leaks may go unnoticed, potentially compromising patient safety and requiring costly repairs. By integrating in-basin lighting, SPD and GI can improve the precision of leak testing, reduce the risk of missed damage, and enhance overall instrument quality assurance. By incorporating both overhead and in-basin lighting, sterile processing and GI can create a more ergonomic, efficient workspace that supports thorough cleaning, reduces strain on technicians, and improves overall instrument quality before the next stage of reprocessing. 

Manual processes in decontamination create inefficiencies that slow down workflows and strain sterile processing teams. The key to overcoming these challenges may lie in technology. By implementing automated solutions for syringe flushing, chemical dispensing, and visual inspection, GI and SPD can eliminate common bottlenecks, reduce errors, and enhance overall efficiency. 

 These improvements not only help departments keep pace with rising reprocessing demands but also contribute to higher-quality outcomes and a safer, more ergonomic work environment. 

Investing in smarter, more efficient processes ensures that productivity concerns become a thing of the past. Ready to optimize your SPD?

Contact us today to explore solutions tailored to your team’s needs.