Sustainability has emerged as a key priority in hospitals, with focus areas spanning all departments, including the crucial sector of sterile processing. This department is primarily concerned with the stringent cleaning, sterilization, and distribution of medical instruments. The adoption of sustainable practices within this sector is particularly momentous given its prominent bearing on operational efficiency, fiscal accountability, and environmental stewardship. By embarking on sustainability initiatives, hospitals seek to streamline processes, minimize the utilization of resources, and enhance workflows in the sterile processing department.
This, in turn, brings about improved efficiency, contributing to better patient care outcomes. A rich discussion of this topical issue took place at the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Annual Conference, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from April 20 to April 23, 2024. During the conference, Eliza Johnson, CRCST, a quality specialist at ARCH Medical Solutions, presented a poster titled ‘A Continuation of Sustainability in Sterile Processing.’ Until March 2024, Johnson was certified as a sterile processing technician at Exeter Hospital, Exeter, New Hampshire. In 2023, Exeter Hospital first tackled the issue of sustainability in its sterile processing department. This effort was further expanded in 2024, with additional modifications made to the department’s sustainability protocols.
The outcomes of these changes have been impressive, yielding significant cost savings, boosting efficiency, and reducing waste. Part of this initiative was tailored towards waste reduction, notably through the provision of backup instruments to frequently used orthopedic trays. This provision ensures that in certain situations, the trays remain fully-stocked, negating the need for reopening for restocking. Majorly due to this alteration, some of the most frequently utilized orthopedic trays at the hospital transitioned to approved rigid containers, as opposed to being wrapped.
This guarantees a reduction in wrap and filter paper waste, irrespective of whether or not backup instruments are readily available. Further, the hospital adopted the use of rigid containers and orthopedic tray liners for trays still requiring wrapping. This new liner proved more efficient in preventing holes than the previously used materials, leading to a reduction in waste wrap and ensuring the maintenance of tray sterility. As part of the cost-saving methods, the hospital shifted to the use of concentrated enzymatic detergents for the washer-disinfectors. As a result of the higher concentration, less detergent is needed per wash cycle, reducing the frequency of detergent orders.