The healthcare sector has begun grappling with a repeat challenge this fall and winter: the simultaneous surge of three significant respiratory diseases—flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 among both children and adults. When these diseases collide, they constitute what experts have termed a “tripledemic,” which poses a significant strain…

Read More

Water is a major component of medical device processing. It is used in cleaning solutions, rinse water, and to generate steam for sterilization. Because of its crucial role in medical device processing, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) determined it was necessary to upgrade the Technical Information…

Read More

Editor's Note Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) have improved significantly after infection rates spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the nonprofit safety organization the Leapfrog Group, PRNewswire November 6 reports. According to the data, over 85% of hospitals improved performance on at least one of three dangerous infections: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),…

Read More

Editor's Note Patients in Maryland hospitals on mechanical ventilators were exposed to two dangerous pathogens, which are becoming growing threats in hospital systems, according to a new report published on October 12 by JAMA Network.  The report analyzed survey data from 51 participating healthcare facilities. The data included 482 patients…

Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of proper disinfection to manage and contain the spread of the disease. During the pandemic, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology played an important role in safeguarding public health and combatting COVID-19. Various uses of UV technology have become available on the market and can be…

Read More

Editor's Note Researchers for a long time have expressed concern about how time and temperature might contribute to changes that affect the cleaning and sterilization of instruments. However, there have been few studies examining these claims. A September 2023 study in Biomedical Instrumentation and Technology from the Association for the…

Read More

Editor’s Note  The OR Manager Conference commenced this week with a variety of pre-conference events, including an experimental educational offsite tour to TriStar Centennial Medical Center and the Vanderbilt Case Cart Operations Center in Nashville, TN. The first tour featured the newly-renovated TriStar Centennial Medical Center Advanced Joint Replacement Institute,…

Read More

Editor's Note Recent research delved into the connection between the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the anesthesia work area and the occurrence of surgical site infections (SSIs), Anesthesiology News July 19 reports. While it was previously recognized that reducing microbial transmission through the anesthesia work area is crucial for preventing…

Read More

Editor's Note This study from Trinity Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, compares prepandemic surgical site infection (SSI) rates before reusing personal protective equipment (PPE), to pandemic SSI rates after reusing PPE in trauma surgical patients. A total of 48,987 patients were included in the analysis, with half in the postpandemic group.…

Read More

Using sterile items in surgery is a fundamental practice, not a rudimentary one that can or should be taken for granted. Put simply, using unsterile items can result in a patient infection. If sterile storage conditions are not appropriate, the items can become contaminated. Such contamination may go undetected, rendering…

Read More