Listen to all Season 1 re-released episodes and take a single quiz for 6 CE credits.

This week's throwback episode of Beyond Clean gives listeners a look inside the process of gaining 510k approval and building a quality system that includes a risk analysis component. While there can be great pressure to cut corners in sterile processing in order to meet demand, Shawn Flynn, Consultant, Entrepreneur, and Medical Device Inventor, encourages technicians and managers to have the backbone to say no and advises that the good device representatives will support the smart and safe decision. Hank Balch and Justin Poulin then raise the topic of UDI (unique device identifier) regulation and the possible role it could play in improving communication, especially in regards to real time updates of the Instructions for Use. The interview closes by addressing the important question of whether or not it's feasible to require manufacturers to choose from three standard processing options and if employing an expert in sterile processing would help the technical writers develop instructions that can be more easily interpreted. Tune in now! 

Surgical Services is a production-based system that relies heavily on the work done in Sterile Processing. This re-released Season 1 episode features David Taylor, President of the Resolute Advisory Group, LLC.  David’s particular area of specialty lies in the operational improvement of Surgical Services and Central Sterile/Sterile Processing Departments (SPD/CS). During this interview we confront the significant and all-too-common challenges that these departments face when trying to work together. The second part of the interview we talk with him about OR Today Live 2018 and the opportunity events like this provide for networking with other industry professionals.

Surgical instrument repair questions are such an important part of everything that we do as sterile processing professionals. David Anbari joins us to talk about preventative maintenance, accessibility and the mobile aspect of third party repair services. Who are the people repairing instrumentation and what's the difference between third party repair and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) repair in terms of quality? David addresses these questions and then in the second segment we dive into the challenges from a legislative perspective to how the repair industry is managed. This re-released Season 1 episode is just as relevant today as it was during Season 1 so tune in now!

Regulators want it, healthcare facilities want it, medical device manufacturers want it...what if surgical instrument validation was actually geared toward a specific standard protocol? This re-released Season 1 episode features one of the biggest names in sterile processing, Ralph Basile, who talks with Justin Poulin, Michael Matthews and Hank Balch about all things ISO certification and AAMI/ASTM. Learn how you can get involved in the important decisions being made in today's healthcare environment. Tune in now!

On this inaugural episode of Beyond Clean from 2017, we interviewed Michael Matthews, who was then the Manager of Central Sterile at Baptist Health in Arkansas.  Mike was a rising star in the Sterile Processing industry, who had taken a particular interest in regards to compensation and education requirements for front-line technicians. As most of you know, eventually Mike joined the Beyond Clean team himself, but on this episode he offered his insight into how managers can determine the value of a high quality technician, make the most of a role in sterile processing and open new opportunities while climbing the career ladder. The main topic of conversation revolved around how to effectively partner with Infection Control to meet the needs of the institution and increase awareness of the important challenges facing our departments across the country. It was a great interview to kick off what would become a global revolution in Sterile Processing networking and education. Enjoy the memory!

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How do you and your department put yourselves on the map in your hospital especially if you don't come from a business administration background? This week's Beyond Clean re-release features René Vis, Product Manager at Steelco Benelux B.V. who begins by talking about business training for sterile processing leaders. He then dives into the topic of thermometric validation. We all need validation of our procedures and also our machines- sterilizers, washers, heat sealers, etc. At the department level, how often do instillation qualification (IQ), operational qualification (OQ) and performance qualification (PQ) need to be performed in departments around the world? Tune in now for this engaging international perspective.