8 1
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
Standardized cleaning phase
Standards are in place to monitor high-level disinfection and sterilization
cycles, but standardized quality assurance practices have not yet been
applied to the cleaning phase. The FDA and AAMI are attempting to
change that. Several summits and meetings among healthcare and indus-
try experts have resulted in draft guidelines for proper instrument clean-
ing, which will mandate that manufacturers of complex devices validate
cleaning processes. Until then, insist that manufacturers provide validat-
ed cleaning instructions and ensure reprocessing techs focus on remov-
ing biofilm from every nook, cranny and channel. OSM
Dr. Alfa (
malfa@dsmanitoba.ca
) is the principle investigator at the St.
Boniface Research Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
C E N T R A L S T E R I L E
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