This is the first in a series of interviews being held with professionals who have deep expertise in the requirements and protocols around endoscope reprocessing in hospitals. The goal is to learn about and educate on existing and emerging best practices in endoscope reprocessing. I had a chance to sit down with Andy Young, the […]
Insights From a Scope Pro – Andy Young Read More »
The Joint Commission (TJC) recently released a Quick Safety update titled “Improperly Sterilized or HLD Equipment – A Growing Problem”. The release was issued in response to what TJC perceives as a growing threat to patient safety. In their analysis, they state that in 2016, 74% of immediate threat to life (ITL) declarations issued by
The recent issues surrounding scope-related infections continue to gather media attention. A recent article by the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette follows the story of how UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA has managed its endoscope reprocessing since a scope-related outbreak in 2012. In the article, UPMC points to its adoption of additional steps added to its reprocessing guidelines since
Spotlight on New Best Practices For Scope Reprocessing Read More »
A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that mortality of patients during Joint Commission surveys was reduced by 6% compared to before and after the surveys. The study, authored by Andrew Olenski, Michael Barnett and Anupam Jena, attributed the improved patient outcomes to the “Hawthorne Effect.” The “Hawthorne Effect” suggests that people actively
Why Patient Outcomes Improve During Joint Commission Surveys Read More »
In hospitals, endoscopy, perioperative, sterile processing and infection control teams have done a wonderful job of teaming up together to implement solutions for effective flexible endoscope management. This area has been one of the biggest, if not the biggest, area of scrutiny by Joint Commission and other surveying agencies in the past 1.5 years. We
Are You Able To Inspect What You Expect? Read More »
Recently, the Joint Commission (TJC) released its recommendations on how to create a culture of safety within healthcare organizations. As hospitals work to create safer environments for their staff and patients, a culture of safety has become tantamount to reaching their operational goals. A culture of safety can have several positive effects at a healthcare
Joint Commission’s Recommendations on Creating a Culture of Safety Read More »
In recent surveys, The Joint Commission has scrutinized the entire endoscope management process. Everyone understands this is because of the serious patient safety concerns and media attention, as well as the manufacturers of scopes and reprocessors having their own product challenges. So why is The Joint Commission so hung up on how scopes are hung
Why The Joint Commission Is Hung Up On Scopes Read More »
ECRI Institute’s annual list of patient safety concerns has been released. One concern missing from the list that has been a staple for several years is the infection risk associated with inadequate cleaning of flexible endoscopes. With the number of incidences being reported by hospitals and the associated changes to scopes being issued by the
ECRI List of 2017 Patient Safety Concerns Includes Inadequate Safety and Quality Systems Read More »
Recently, I had a chance to sit down with a couple of Chief Operating Officers (COOs) from hospital clients who use the iRIScope system from Mobile Aspects. The system was developed to help hospitals improve patient safety and documentation around flexible endoscope usage. According to the COOs, this has become a hot topic due to
The Joint Commission Survey From a Hospital COO’s Perspective Read More »
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and its 510(k) Clearance program may have played a role in preventing potentially dangerous endoscopes from being adequately tested before being released to the market. Because endoscopes are highly regulated medical devices, the FDA’s approval processes should be able to catch any critical health risks posed by their use. However,
How the FDA May Have Enabled the Recent Epidemic of Endoscope Related Infections Read More »