Recently, I read a book about Hedy Lamarr, born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, an Austro-Hungarian-born American actress and inventor. She was a film star during Hollywood's Golden Age. In 1942, she received a patent with composer George Antheil for a “frequency hopping, spread-spectrum communication system” designed to make radio-guided torpedoes harder to detect or jam during World War II. She never received a dollar for her invention, which was dismissed by the military because they couldn’t accept the intelligence of a woman...

Monday, one of our sales reps reported a wash indicator failure at a local facility currently using our cleaners and our Case Soil indicator. We knew it was an opportunity to solve a problem and possibly improve their process. The wash indicator is supposed to fail when something in the wash sequence isn’t right. It’s your first alert that something is wrong...

Shorter cycles, less rinses have been discussed for some time at AAMI working groups and amongst healthcare professionals. Most agree that adequate contact time and rinsing is good practice for manual and automated processes. Detergents lift but rinsing removes the soil. Now manufacturers of new washer/disinfectors have gone even further by promoting cycles preset in their new machines which eliminate rinse steps and rinse times

Management by walking around is a strategy where managers leave their desks and walk around the workplace to understand employees and their ongoing work better. You can learn a lot by just walking around your facility and paying attention to your environment. As a matter of fact, that’s often how we find ways to help you, our customers and develop products to meet your needs. One of our sales team was recounting that on a recent visit to an SPD he noticed the sad state of many of the department’s rigid containers. The containers were covered with tape and permanent marker scribbles. Needless to say, Case Solutions Ink & Adhesive Remover was the right product for the job. The broader point is that sometimes we become so used to our surroundings that we don’t see the obvious anymore. This is where we can help.

According to the American Sustainable Business Network, “Many common personal care products contain chemicals linked to a broad range of serious health impacts. Exposures are numerous and frequent, and small exposures can have large consequences. Consumers have been demanding change. Responsible businesses are using safer alternatives.” A pending New York law would boost momentum nationally by banning many of the worst chemicals and driving innovation for safer alternatives…

Hands-on-learning means learning by doing. Experiential learning environments provide endless hands-on learning benefits for children of all ages. Young children learn through meaningful hands-on experiences—through touching, doing, and moving. Research has shown that in fact people of all ages learn better when they are actively engaged in their learning journey.…

On Friday, May 5^th the World Health Organization ended the global health emergency it declared on Covid-19, but the pandemic is still taking lives every day while transmission of the virus continues. About as close as we’ll get to closure is a transition from something that causes widespread illness and unexpected levels of death to something more predictable and less dangerous. How the virus evolves and how our immune systems cope with it will ultimately determine when we get there.

Just want to let everyone know how pleased we are to be able see everyone face to face and in person in Nashville this Saturday morning. Case Medical will be there for the start of the HSPA conference. It’s been too long since I personally have been there with you, but I’ve gotten my Covid booster and am looking forward to the event. We have some fun events lined up, so roll up your sleeves and join us to learn more about the art and science of cleaning medical devices. I say art and science...

This week is formally designated “Spring Cleaning Week” by the U.S. EPA. It is a time for cleaning or organizing your home or enterprise. It typically falls on the first day of spring, the Persian New Year, and coincides with the Jewish practice of throughly cleansing the home for Passover. Look at your inventory of cleaning products to determine what's truly needed and how safe they are to use. Consider reducing the number of SKU's and replacing some of the more caustic chemicals of concern with safer alternatives. Single use wipes have become very popular for cleaning surfaces, wiping baby messes, for personal care, and throughout healthcare facilities for numerous purposes...

If you're curious about how cleaning products work or why cleaning of medical devices is considered the critical first step in the decontamination process, you've come to the right place. We’ve studied the science of cleaning and are pleased to share with you what we learned as a U.S. EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year, in independent laboratory studies, in our micro lab, and with the USGS at their U.S. Wildlife Health Center in Madison, WI.