The article is written by Marty Anthony, President, Ambler Surgical.
1. Place the priority on surgical instrument quality rather than cost. Purchasing higher quality products will help reduce expenses over time. Poor quality instruments demand more frequent repairs and require more extensive effort to restore functionality. The result is a decrease in the life span of the instrument. Consider the associated maintenance and repair costs over the instrument’s lifetime, rather than the initial purchase price to determine best value.
2. Consider moving from cycle-based instrument maintenance schedules to time-based maintenance. This helps ensure that surgical instruments in heavy rotation receive proper care and attention, instead of instruments that are used less frequently. Opting for a time-based maintenance schedule that tracks instrument and tray use helps avoid excessive or premature servicing of infrequently used instruments.
3. Ensure that sterile processing staff are thoroughly removing biohazardous material before sterilization and are educated about proper handling of instruments. A common complaint of repair service technicians is that they discover dried biomaterial when instruments are disassembled for repair. Allowing debris to dry on instruments, making errors during the reprocessing cycle, allowing debris to dry on instruments and handling instruments improperly not only put patients at risk, but also put undue stress on instruments.
4. Qualify your repair vendor. Ask yourself five questions:
1. Are they experts in micro-instrument repair or more of a general repair company?
2. Are they independently owned or is it in their best interest to sell you a new instrument?
3. What is the turnaround time?
4. Are the repairs guaranteed to meet your satisfaction?
5. How long will return shipping take and what does it cost for expedited shipping?
5. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for instrument care and implement a use-based preventative maintenance program for your surgical instruments.
Learn more about Ambler Surgical.
1. Place the priority on surgical instrument quality rather than cost. Purchasing higher quality products will help reduce expenses over time. Poor quality instruments demand more frequent repairs and require more extensive effort to restore functionality. The result is a decrease in the life span of the instrument. Consider the associated maintenance and repair costs over the instrument’s lifetime, rather than the initial purchase price to determine best value.
2. Consider moving from cycle-based instrument maintenance schedules to time-based maintenance. This helps ensure that surgical instruments in heavy rotation receive proper care and attention, instead of instruments that are used less frequently. Opting for a time-based maintenance schedule that tracks instrument and tray use helps avoid excessive or premature servicing of infrequently used instruments.
3. Ensure that sterile processing staff are thoroughly removing biohazardous material before sterilization and are educated about proper handling of instruments. A common complaint of repair service technicians is that they discover dried biomaterial when instruments are disassembled for repair. Allowing debris to dry on instruments, making errors during the reprocessing cycle, allowing debris to dry on instruments and handling instruments improperly not only put patients at risk, but also put undue stress on instruments.
4. Qualify your repair vendor. Ask yourself five questions:
1. Are they experts in micro-instrument repair or more of a general repair company?
2. Are they independently owned or is it in their best interest to sell you a new instrument?
3. What is the turnaround time?
4. Are the repairs guaranteed to meet your satisfaction?
5. How long will return shipping take and what does it cost for expedited shipping?
5. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for instrument care and implement a use-based preventative maintenance program for your surgical instruments.
Learn more about Ambler Surgical.