How do you grow in your Sterile Processing career if you don't want to go into leadership? What can departments do to cultivate and reward technical excellence? On this episode 7 of Season 11, we sat down with Loraine Durigan, Sterile Processing Traveling Manager at SpecialtyCare, to discuss her vision for combining career growth and technical knowledge to change the way Sterile Processing departments are run. Tune in to hear how Loraine and her team took a new approach to the topics of recruiti...
Feb 15, 2021•31 min•Season 11Ep. 7
Have you ever created a hand-made sign for your department? "Don't Touch" "Stack Containers Here" "Press Button for Service" The examples of things we need to communicate in device reprocessing are endless. On this episode 6 of Season 11, we sat down with Garry Bassi, Director, Medical Device Reprocessing & Support Services at Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto), to discuss his unique approach to department signage in the midst of new construction and beyond. Tune in to hear why Garry believes go...
Feb 08, 2021•33 min•Season 11Ep. 6
What would you do if you had no decontamination room, no access to low-cost, reliable electricity and water, and a handful of laparoscopic devices to reprocess? On episode we sat down with Delft University of Technology researcher Girish Malage, to discuss his field studies and innovative approach to solving the systemic laparoscopic challenges facing hospitals around the globe, and especially in low- to middle-income countries. Tune in to hear how Girish has approached these problems through th...
Feb 01, 2021•33 min•Season 11Ep. 5
Would your hospital administrators recognize you in the hallway? When is the last time you saw your CEO take a stroll through your Sterile Processing department? Why does any of this matter? On this episode, we sat down with Bryan Croft, Senior Vice President of Operations at Cedars-Sinai, for an honest conversation on the widespread disconnect between hospital leadership and the Sterile Processing professionals who help keep surgeries going. Tune in to hear how Bryan has changed this culture in...
Jan 25, 2021•33 min•Season 11Ep. 4
What causes one person to take pride in their job, and someone else to treat it like just a paycheck? When you drill down to the very core of a Sterile Processing technician, what do you find that is really special? On this episode 3 of Season 11, we sat down with Beyond Clean Co-Founder & President Hank Balch for a unique discussion about the over-aching culture of Sterile Processing -- why it matters and how to build it. Tune in to hear much of the "why" behind what you see each and every ...
Jan 18, 2021•34 min•Season 11Ep. 3
Picture it: you turn on the news and the top story reads: "infectious outbreak linked to hospital and clinic endoscopes." Let the media storm and regulatory survey frenzy begin! As Sterile Processing professionals, this is our industry's worst nightmare and on this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight, we talk with Ted May from Andersen Sterilizers and Dr. Larry Muscarella from LFM Healthcare Solutions LLC about a one of a kind sterilization technology proven to sterilize the toughest endoscopes on the...
Jan 15, 2021•41 min
Broken processes, communication breakdowns with the Operating Room, and rising frustrations – sound like a challenge you are facing in your Sterile Processing department? Big or small, each of our facilities encounter issues that have to be overcome or quality outcomes eventually suffer. On this episode we sat down with Carolyn Hooks and Traci Farley, from Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughter’s in Norfolk, Virginia to talk about the creative way their teams came together through a unique t...
Jan 11, 2021•33 min•Season 11Ep. 2
Everywhere we go, whether it is out to dinner, to the grocery store, or the hair salon-- we expect these establishments have invested in safe cleaning and disinfection techniques. Now more than ever, it’s critical that cleaning and disinfection is both performed and documented, especially in the healthcare space. On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight we talk with John Gallineau, VP of Operations at PKT, a company that provides professional sterilizer cleaning services and surgical table deep cle...
Jan 08, 2021•35 min
Could you prove your flexible endoscope was properly cleaned, processed, and stored for every scope, every patient, every time? Would it be a scramble to three-ring binders and stacks of paper, or is your facility already using some type of technology to help you hardwire the documentation process? On this Season 11 episode from Beyond Clean, we sat down with Suneil Mandava, Founder & CEO of Mobile Aspects to talk about the challenges of endoscope tracking and tracing in the healthcare setti...
Jan 04, 2021•35 min•Season 11Ep. 1
Conversation with Jim Carlock, author of “Looming Sterile Processing Staffing Crisis Requires Action Now”. You can read his article on the Beyond Clean blog here: https://www.beyondclean.net/post/staffingcrisis
Dec 30, 2020•1 hr 6 min
"There's never enough time to do it right, but there's always enough time to do it again." In this episode Bob addresses the Administrators in the hospital to encourage the approval of Sterile Processing equipment, construction, and resources because #patientsafety depends on it. Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Dec 23, 2020•3 min
Whether it’s a list of excuses, a sincere lack of time, or the fact that our goals are too big and broad to even know where to start, all of these things can prevent us from setting and sticking to our professional goals. Setting smart and achievable career goals can propel you far beyond your expectations. In this 60-Second Growth Spurt, Lindsay discusses a S.M.A.R.T. way to set your goals. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #S...
Dec 16, 2020•2 min
Imagine sitting in the dentist chair waiting for your teeth cleaning when a staff member walks in with a tray of u nwrapped instruments. If you are like us, not only does this make you cringe, but you know that this is a BIG infection prevention red flag! On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight we talk with Jessica Wilson from HuFriedyGroup about infection prevention compliance. Jessica discusses the IMS™ Cassette Instrument Management System – a system that provides users with the tools needed to...
Dec 11, 2020•36 min
"I believe the closer our industry moves toward rewarding fresh opinions, the more of them we will see in our frontline technicians, leaders, and innovators. The more we listen to new voices and outside perspectives, the better equipped our industry will become to handle the changing world around us. On the other hand, the harder we make it for individuals to grow and gain a platform for their opinions, the less likely they will be to engage in the future. Wherever you land on this spectrum, I c...
Dec 09, 2020•6 min
Picture this: You are assembling a tray; the phone rings and it is the operating room with news that the rigid scope they are using on a patient isn't working properly. Let the mad rush to get new equipment up to that OR begin! We have all been there and on this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight we talk with Kevin Anderson from Healthmark Industries about an easy way to significantly improve the rigid endoscope quality that is being delivered to the operating room. The EndoPro-Cam® is a portable end...
Dec 04, 2020•28 min
On this episode Bob talks about about the Emergency Use Authorizations through the FDA during the pandemic and the implications of reusing and re-sterilizing single-use devices (SUDs) moving forward. Tune in to learn more and click the following link to view a document that describes the process FDA would use to categorize the #risk of SUDs that are reprocessed.https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/reprocessing-and-reuse-single-use-devices. Have a question for ...
Dec 02, 2020•5 min
On this third installment on managing change, Lindsay discusses easy ways to incrementally work toward changing overall department culture. How can leaders create short-term opportunities that lead to long-term #CulturalShifts? You're invited to join her for the next 60 seconds and find out! Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Nov 25, 2020•1 min
How often should your surgical instruments be repaired? Should your repair partner be on-site every week or should it all depend on your facility usage data? On this season finale episode of the Beyond Clean podcast, we flipped the script and interviewed Beyond Clean co-founder and CEO Justin Poulin about one of his favorite topics - usage based instrument repair. Whether you have a current repair schedule in place in your department or you are trying to fine tune your repair program to meet qua...
Nov 23, 2020•36 min•Season 10Ep. 8
What needs to be said about the #SterileProcessing industry that hasn't been said yet? Who's voice needs a platform to share their passion for the mission of patient safety with a listening world? We asked these questions when Beyond Clean was founded nearly three years ago, and we continue to ask them each and every day. As the Beyond Clean revolution has continued to grow, the opportunities we have to promote best practices, magnify new voices, and engage with a diversity of subject matter exp...
Nov 18, 2020•8 min
Should CS leaders care what their employees think of them? What are the common ways new leaders fail themselves and their teams? On this episode 7 of Beyond Clean Season 10, we sat down with Sharyn Combs , BA, CHBC, JMT, CRCST, an Independent Certified Human Behavior Consultant, John Maxwell team member, and the Founder of UCDI Leadership Training and Development to talk about the nitty gritty of Sterile Processing leadership myths, misconceptions, and mistakes that are often found in our indust...
Nov 16, 2020•34 min•Season 10Ep. 7
On this episode Bob talks about a common issue experienced by many healthcare facilities--overloaded instrument sets. What are the implications of this in terms of time and money? Bob breaks it down and encourages your department to #ClearTheClutter from your trays and operate more efficiently. Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Nov 11, 2020•6 min
"The consultants are coming, the consultants are coming!" Does that phrase give you a pit in your stomach or tell you that help is on the way? On this episode 6 of Beyond Clean Season 10, we sat down with Brandon Huffman, BS, ST, CRCST, CIS, CHL, Infection Preventionist with the Peace Health System (and new Strategic Content Manager at Beyond Clean) to talk about the good, bad, and long term impact of Sterile Processing consulting experiences from the perspective of department managers and front...
Nov 09, 2020•29 min•Season 10Ep. 6
Managing change is complicated and sometimes in order to make a big ask and influence an overall shift in behavior or attitude, small steps are most effective. On this week's 60-second Growth Spurt, Linds discusses effective ways to tackle those big asks in your department. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Nov 04, 2020•1 min
Who on earth designed this cleaning chemical? And why did they do it that way? Well, we're glad you asked. On this episode 5 of Beyond Clean Season 10, we sat down with Kris Murphy, PhD, Director of Chemistry, R&D at Cantel Medical to talk all things research, development, and chemistry in the context of medical device reprocessing! Kris not only brings tremendous insight into the typical life of a scientist in our industry, but he has a little fun with us as we talk about the real challenge...
Nov 02, 2020•35 min•Season 10Ep. 5
What does it take to host successful in-department education for your Sterile Processing team? Are you tapping into all the available tools and resources out there to take your SPD training to the next level? On this episode of Fighting Dirty, Hank sits down with Justin to discuss inservices, podcast, and clinical training. Whether you are a vendor, department leader, or frontline technician, this one has a little bit of everything for everyone. Tune in and get #Educated. #FightingDirty #HankBal...
Oct 28, 2020•10 min
Reprocessing dental instruments can look quite different at each facility-- from the layout and design to who is responsible for reprocessing. On this episode 4 of Beyond Clean Season 10, we sat down with Johanne Benoit, Sterile Processing Manager and Dental Reprocessing Subject Matter Expert at Fenway Health, to talk about the complexities that surround the dental reprocessing workflow and the industry as a whole. Our conversation covers everything from the current challenges and frustrations f...
Oct 26, 2020•32 min•Season 10Ep. 4
On this episode Bob talks about the ways in which healthcare manufacturers have changed the way they've supported the industry during this time of COVID-19 pandemic. He gives a special shout out and poses a challenge to the powers that be for more ways to support our #healthcareheroes on the front lines. Have a question for Bob? Email him at: Bob@beyondclean.net #RealTalk #BobMarrs #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Oct 21, 2020•5 min
Each of our facilities and Sterile Processing departments experienced and responded to the recent global pandemic in different ways. Our abilities to act effectively depended largely on the strengths of our teams, hospital leaders, and governments. On this episode 3 of Beyond Clean Season 10, we sat down with Jason Unger, Director of Surgical Services & Anesthesia Institute, at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to talk about the medical device reprocessing industry in the United Arab Emirates. Our ...
Oct 19, 2020•27 min•Season 10Ep. 3
Change is hard. And in Sterile Processing, change is the one thing that is constant. So how do you persuade a change in behavior or a shift in thinking as a leader of a department? Tune in to this week’s 60-second growth spurt as Lindsay gives ideas on ways to implement #change among your staff. Have a question or comment for Linds? Email her at: Lindsay@beyondclean.net #GrowthSpurt #LindsayBrown #SterileProcessing #BeyondClean #WeFightDirty™
Oct 14, 2020•2 min
You may have heard the word "Lean" thrown around by consultants and administrators in your hospital, but what does it have to do with Sterile Processing? Is it something to be feared? Something to be loved? Or something in between? On this episode 2 of Beyond Clean Season 10, we sat down with Dr. Rachel Mandel, Senior Healthcare Advisor for Operational Performance Solutions to give us some context for Lean concepts, process improvement among our teams, and a roadmap for working together to impro...
Oct 12, 2020•32 min•Season 10Ep. 2
