Recognizing that an effective and efficient system for disinfection and sterilization takes more than equipment alone, Getinge applies its expertise in infection control to the planning and design of entire work-flow solutions. The result is greatly reduced risks for the spread of infection and smoother, more economical procedures.
The main user of sterile supplies within a hospital is the central surgery department.
Point-of-use / close at hand
Two main design solutions for reprocessing surgical instruments are used by hospitals today. One is a centralized department for disinfection and sterilization, called the Central Sterile Processing or CSSD department. This design is presented on this site under the menu Central Sterile Processing/CSSD. The other solution is a decentralized sterilization facility, or substerile department, a relatively small unit usually located close to where the sterilized items are used. At a central surgical department, the smaller reprocessing unit as above, is known as the OR/Point-of-Use Sterile Processing or TSSU (Theater Sterile Supply Unit).
The main advantage of this design is that the time until reuse of the surgical instruments is short or minimized, as transport is more or less eliminated. Used, soiled circulating goods from the ORs (Operating Rooms) are collected, reprocessed and stored in the Point-of-Use Sterile Processing before set-up for a new surgery.
To make this production plant as efficient as possible and still meet the microbiological demands, it is vital that the interior design of the department is adapted to good manufacturing practice and provides good working routines.
Point-of-use processing - quick, safe turn-around!
This department is just like a manufacturing plant, but for reprocessing, mainly of surgical instruments. Used, soiled instruments from the ORs are collected in this department for processing and storage before being set up for a new surgery. This offers a number of advantages.
Cleaning, disinfection, inspection, packing, sterilization, storing and set-up are carried out by specialized, experienced personnel. This ensures better control and more reliable results, i.e. a reduced risk of hospital-acquired infections and long use of instruments. This makes it also more economical.
To Getinge, it means a well-thought-out workflow with efficient and flexible equipment
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a Getinge Solution.
Combinations of the OR/point-of-use and Central Sterile Processing techniques are also common.
