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When Sterile Processing Goes Down: An Economic Analysis of Alternative Strategies for Supporting the Service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2017

Susan E. Mittenzwei ,
Jeannie L. Topkoff ,
Mary T. Bessesen ,
Clifford A. Porter ,
Gurdev S. Rai  and
Westyn Branch-Elliman
Susan E. Mittenzwei
Affiliation:
Departments of Nursing, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Medicine, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado
Jeannie L. Topkoff
Affiliation:
Departments of Nursing, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Medicine, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado
Mary T. Bessesen
Affiliation:
Departments of Nursing, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Medicine, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Anesthesia, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado
Clifford A. Porter
Affiliation:
Departments of Nursing, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Medicine, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Anesthesia, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado
Gurdev S. Rai
Affiliation:
Departments of Nursing, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Medicine, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Anesthesia, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado
Westyn Branch-Elliman*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, West Roxbury, Massachusetts Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
*
Address correspondence to Westyn Branch-Elliman, MD, MMSc, Boston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132 (westyn.branch-elliman@va.gov).
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Abstract

Given steam-quality challenges at our facility, the financial impact of options for reopening the sterile processing service unit were explored; duration of closure was the major driver of costs. Other potential negative effects of operating-room shutdowns include injury to facility reputation, loss of staff, loss of reimbursements, and harm to residency programs.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1002–1004

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 38 , Issue 8 , August 2017 , pp. 1002 - 1004
Copyright
© 2017 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

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References

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