Hennepin Healthcare, a comprehensive health system dedicated to advancing endoscope reprocessing standards, announced its partnership with Cantel Medical to install the ADVANTAGE PLUS Pass-Thru Automated Endoscope Reprocessor (AER), the nation’s very first pass-through AER.
Due to highly complex device designs and conflicting industry reprocessing standards, health care facilities nationwide have experienced challenges to standardize processes that safely disinfect flexible endoscopes. While many today meet basic industry standards for high-level disinfection of flexible endoscopes, there is still more that can be done to ensure an endoscope is clean to better protect patients from infections.
The ADVANTAGE PLUS Pass-Thru Automated Endoscope Reprocessor establishes a physical separation between dirty and clean reprocessing areas to support a one-way workflow that streamlines processes while minimizing the risk of cross contamination and human error.
“At Hennepin Healthcare, our patients come first and we want to do everything we can to ensure they receive the best possible care at our facilities,” said Uggen Jigmey, Sterile Processing Department Manager, Hennepin Healthcare. “The ADVANTAGE PLUS Pass-Thru AER, along with other innovations from Medivators, help us elevate our reprocessing workflow to increase efficiency and enhance infection prevention to the highest level possible. This is an element of our work that patients should never have to think about – and yet it’s our highest priority.”
In addition to installing the first U.S. pass-through AER, Hennepin Healthcare completely transformed its endoscope reprocessing room during the building of its new Clinic and Specialty Center. Hennepin Healthcare has reimagined its reprocessing area with the best of endoscope reprocessing innovations, including:
- Ergonomic power lift sinks to reduce technician fatigue and promote proper posture.
- Veriscan LT Leak Detection System to check for damage between each patient procedure.
- Endoscope cassettes that only require technicians to handle endoscopes once from high-level disinfection to pre-procedure transportation, saving time and reducing potential for cross contamination.
- Pass-through ENDODRY Cabinets that digitally track drying and storage times and include secure storage that requires staff credentials for access.
- Covered transport for all scopes that indicate whether a scope is clean or dirty based on the cover color.
“The current industry standards are not enough to ensure patient safety and positive outcomes,” said Jigmey. “We had a vision to elevate endoscope reprocessing well beyond the industry’s current standard practices so our staff and patients can be confident in the quality of endoscope being used.”
As part of continuing renovations, Hennepin Healthcare will upgrade all of its flexible endoscope reprocessing facilities to the new system in the next 18 months.
