In this episode of Articles-On-The-Go, Hank Balch looks at the practice of double-stacking trays inside the automated washer and dangers associated with this practice — “At the end of the day, this is not just about compliant processes. Ignoring the…
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Acid, base, alkaline, neutral. These are all terms we hear thrown around but what do they do to the instruments? Terminology: So, what do these do? Acidic solutions, typically pH 1-6, are used to remove corrosion and form the passive layer of a stainless steel instrument. There is no coating applied. The passive layer is…
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The clock is ticking after every endoscopy procedure with only minutes to transfer the patient and turn over the treatment room. Why spend valuable time with endoscope precleaning? Soils begin to dry and biofilm forms within minutes after the end of an endoscopic procedure. Endoscope manufacturer instructions (IFUs) emphasize the importance of immediate post procedure…
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Are bigger hospitals safer than smaller hospitals when it comes to surgical instrument reprocessing? The answer may surprise you… On this episode of Articles-On-The-Go, Hank examine this question and gives some insight into the industry as a…
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Vendors and SPD should agree in the importance of IFU’s. In addition to keeping the patient safe, they also help maintain the serviceability of the device. Frustration mounts for vendors when [seemingly] out of nowhere, a new initiative of updating IFU’s comes up and they are unable to use instruments that have been processed many…
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In this episode of Articles-On-The-Go, Hank Balch examines the strange practice of failed washer tests, and our response to them. Why aren’t we recalling these loads? “… when we turn our gaze back to decontamination, we appear to give lip…
Read MoreFebruary 9, 2026
