Understanding the Ripple Effect: How OR Changes Impact SPD
In our previous blog, “How the SPD Drives OR Goals: The Hidden Engine of Success,” we explored the crucial role SPD plays in supporting OR efficiency and patient outcomes.
Operating rooms are fast-paced environments that constantly evolve. Some changes occur gradually over time, while others happen minute by minute, even within the same procedure. What may seem like a simple adjustment in the OR can create a significant ripple effect in the sterile processing department.
Understanding how a single scenario can impact SPD paints a clearer picture of the department’s inner workings and highlights its influence on OR efficiency and patient outcomes.
Cause: Surgical Procedure Evolution
As surgical procedures evolve, new technologies promise safer, more consistent outcomes and may even reduce surgery or recovery times. Surgeons train in new techniques, OR staff master the intricacies of new instrumentation, and together they create a safer environment for patients.
Effect: Increased Complexity of Instrument Reprocessing
New instruments often bring reprocessing challenges due to their complex designs. Instruments may require additional steps, disassembly, longer soak times, ultrasonic cycles, or specialized sterilization methods — all contributing to longer reprocessing turnaround times.
Education plays a critical role in efficient and safe reprocessing. Understanding what the surgical device does and how it’s used is just as important as knowing the reprocessing requirements outlined in the IFU. Together, these elements form a comprehensive knowledge base that empowers reprocessing professionals to make educated, efficient decisions in their daily tasks.
As your OR continues to invest in new technologies, consider what investments need to be made in sterile processing as well. A review of the new IFU with your sterile processing leader might reveal some potential increases in throughput time or increases in reprocessing costs. With a proactive plan, on-time delivery to the OR doesn’t have to suffer.
Cause: Increased Surgery Volumes
Surgical volumes continue to rise, influenced by factors like growing patient populations, surgical advancements, and improved efficiency. According to a study published in the Journal of Surgical Research, average orthopedic surgical volume increased by 38.04% from January to December in 2016–2019, while overall ambulatory surgery centers volume increased by 19.24% within the same timeframe.1
Effect: Strain on Point-of-Use Care and Instrument Reprocessing
As surgical volumes climb, the pressure to maintain pace intensifies. Unfortunately, this can lead to cut corners, particularly during point-of-use care — the crucial first step of the reprocessing cycle. Inadequate pre-treatment of instruments post-procedure can result in bio-burden drying onto devices, making cleaning exponentially harder downstream. This not only prolongs reprocessing but also increases the risk of compromised instrument cleanliness.
One solution to improve point-of-use care is the implementation of automated flushing systems. These systems help ensure that lumens and other complex instruments receive consistent, thorough flushing immediately after use, preventing bio-burden from drying and making downstream cleaning more effective. By standardizing this crucial first step, automated flushing systems can reduce variability, enhance compliance, and minimize delays.
Cause: Instrument Changes Mid-Procedure
Instrument needs can shift at any point before or during surgery. Whether it’s a full system change or a one-off tray request, these changes can occur across multiple ORs throughout the day. As OR staff, you need the instruments changed quickly for the outcome of the procedure.
Effect: Bottlenecks and Reprioritization
How your sterile processing is organized can make these pivots easy and proactive, or difficult and near impossible. In an ideal scenario, sterile processing works a day ahead, preparing instruments for upcoming cases and replenishing storage shelves. However, urgent calls for add-on cases, emergency procedures, or specialized trays can force SPD teams to rapidly reprioritize, creating bottlenecks. Instruments set aside to address immediate needs may delay routine reprocessing, resulting in longer turnaround times and a backlog of instruments.
One strategy to help alleviate these bottlenecks is the use of specialized sterile processing workstations. These workstations provide organized, dedicated spaces for technicians to efficiently start and stop set processing as priorities shift throughout the day. With supplies readily accessible and tools designed to handle a variety of instruments, these workstations enable staff to reprioritize tasks quickly without losing track of progress. This flexibility helps maintain workflow efficiency, even when unexpected instrument needs arise.
Effective workstation design also allows for more effective use of space. Any square of real estate in sterile processing is precious; that saved room could be used for staging pre-sterilized instrumentation for one-off requests or having more variety available.
Strategies for Improvement
To minimize the impact of these changes and improve efficiency in both the OR and SPD, implementing the right strategies is essential. By focusing on communication, tracking, and training, healthcare facilities can address challenges head-on and create a smoother workflow for both departments. Here are some key strategies for improvement.
- Rounding: Regular interdisciplinary rounding fosters collaboration and helps identify pain points in the reprocessing workflow.
- Huddles: Daily huddles ensure alignment on surgical schedules, instrument needs, and any unexpected changes.
- Instrument Tracking via EHR Integration: Implementing instrument tracking systems integrated with electronic health records (EHR) provides real-time visibility into instrument location and reprocessing status, enhancing efficiency.
- Updated Pick-Tickets: Frequent requests for specific instrument sets may indicate a need to update preference cards. This ensures the right sets are requested and available as standard requirements for particular procedures and surgeons.
- Training: Continuous education on new surgical instruments, techniques, and updated IFUs empowers SPD technicians to stay ahead of changes and maintain compliance.
By acknowledging the ripple effect that OR changes have on SPD, healthcare facilities can develop strategies to minimize disruptions, improve efficiency, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.
Discover how Pure Processing’s solutions can enhance your sterile processing workflow.
Works Cited
