A computerized sterile processing management system will replace the existing systems used in Medical Device Reprocessing departments across Fraser Health.
(Photo) Team members who have been preparing the data and supporting the project (left to right): Francis Ulangkaya, Arlene Rosa-Kaski, Cristy Pragides, Burgess Dillon and Clinton Martineau.
Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) is a regional program that provides services to 12 acute care sites supporting areas such as surgery and endoscopy for reprocessing of reusable medical devices. Annually, thousands of instruments and scopes are disinfected, sterilized and distributed throughout our hospitals.
A new electronic sterile processing management system (SPMS) will track all instruments between the operating rooms and MDR and digitize reprocessing practices.
“Initiatives like this showcase our commitment to modernizing our practices, supporting our staff and ensuring best practices are embedded in our work,” said Cherelle Matthews, director, Digital Clinical Ancillary Services and Business Relationship Management, Digital Patient and Provider Experience. “Our digital health strategy guides our digital transformation journey, enhancing quality and standardization through technology.”
(Photo) MDR Managers Cristy Pragides (left) and Trish Herd (right) touring the future MDR space in the Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower.
As part of the new system, staff will be able to use a handheld computer, like a mobile phone, to scan the instrument sets for efficient delivery to the operating room or any other hospital unit. The system can track the location of instruments from the shelf to the operating room to the sterilizer, thus ensuring rapid availability of any device needed for surgery. The system will be integrated with Meditech to automatically update surgical information.
“The new system will have many advanced features and functions that will improve workflows within MDR and how we interact with the operating rooms,” said Laurie Reeves, project manager, SPMS. “It will be much more efficient than keeping track of instruments manually.”
(Photo) Binder used in the paper-based system with instructions for a set next to a modern workstation.
Last year, MDR staff at Royal Columbian Hospital began entering detailed data and instructions on each instrument into a database as a first step to preparing for a digital system before the opening of the Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower. There have been more than 2,200 instruments and sets entered into the database.
“The Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment project really provided an opportunity for advancement of the digital platform because we did not want to go into a new MDR department using a paper-based system,” says Reeves. “We will now have a sophisticated tracking system that will improve the efficiencies of the department to meet the increased demands for surgeries.”
The first sites to receive the new system will be Ridge Meadows Hospital at the end of 2024, followed by Eagle Ridge Hospital, Burnaby Hospital, Delta Hospital and Royal Columbian Hospital in 2025. All sites will have the system in place by 2027.