Using Efficiency Tasks and Maintenance Logs to Optimize SPD Operations

 

Kelly Swails, Clinical Business Manager at Censis, and Desiree Acedo, Supervisor Sterile Processing Department at Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center, discuss the complex requirements of a surgical task and how efficiency tasks (EFTs) support the role.

Recent Episodes

In healthcare, patient safety and operational efficiency often depend on invisible systems working perfectly in the background. One of those systems—water quality—has quietly become a defining factor in sterile processing success. With new standards such as AAMI ST108 setting stricter expectations, hospitals, and SPDs (Sterile Processing Departments) are rethinking how they monitor, manage, and measure…

Sterile Processing Departments (SPDs) are the unsung backbone of surgical care — ensuring every instrument, tray, and tool is safe, sterile, and ready when needed. Yet, despite their vital role, SPD workflows often rely on manual processes and underrecognized best practices. As healthcare systems push for greater efficiency and staff well-being, SPD managers are turning…

Sterile processing teams are under constant pressure—handling growing surgical demands, working short-staffed, and navigating strict regulations—so getting every instrument tray assembled right the first time has never mattered more. Even a single assembly error can cascade into costly OR delays or, worse, compromise patient safety. Recent research highlights that most surgical instrument errors stem from…