We can all agree that stopping pollution is a good thing to do. And an excellent way to start is by reducing the “chemical footprint,” a simple expression that considers the quantity and harshness of chemicals used in healthcare processes. Think of the analogy of adding too much salt to the soup, too much detergent to the washer, dumping too many...

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…

Have you ever noticed as you’re waiting to board a flight that the pilot will do a walk around of the plane. He’ll look at the front wheels, walk underneath and shine a flashlight into an open compartment, take a moment to inspect the fuel connection and then the wings. The pre-flight checklist is done so the pilot knows the plane is safe to fly it's one of the reasons flying is so safe.

Education lays the groundwork needed to feel confident in our abilities and helps us find our passions in life. If you think back to when you’re just learning a new task it can seem quite overwhelming. Thirty years ago, when Case Medical was just getting started making our first trays seemed almost impossible, but we kept at it...

Common sense is sound, practical judgment concerning everyday matters. Funny how the common sense things we do at home can translate into best practices on the job. Take for example the dirty dishes after breakfast, dried on egg yolk can be tough as heck to wash off by hand, let alone expecting the dishwasher to clean it. So, at home we rinse the dishes before they go into the dishwasher. The same holds true when it comes to pre-cleaning medical devices like endoscopes with many passages to clean inside and out...

There is a very important principle when it comes to operations, process and sterilization outcome called parametric release. What this means is that when all parameters are set and equipment properly functioning, the outcome will always be positive and predictable...

Do you worry about what goes into your body; what chemicals might be going into your children? The list keeps growing and now there are “Forever Chemicals” that never break down and go away, in fact, these compounds may take hundreds, or even thousands, of years to break down...

Ever wonder why there is so much stuff in your department? I just went through my closets and got rid of the plastic bags hiding the clothes I haven’t worn in years and shoes that have collected over decades. First, I don’t wear heels anymore and knowing my age it would be downright dangerous. There are many reasons why we should simplify and make do with less at home and in the SPD. Sometimes it’s clear, like supply chain shortages and sometimes it’s because we’re questioning our toll on the environment or when we see our inventory shelves with simply too much stuff. How much of the stuff has never been used or is expired? But there are gray areas, too, holding onto stuff you think you might need or being convinced to buy something you don’t need. It’s easy to convince ourselves that “wants” are needs when we just really, really “want” something!

Gels can preserve tissue and bioburden under a tough to remove clear coating. Jurassic Park, the book and movie was based on the notion that mosquitos were so well persevered in amber that dinosaur DNA could be recovered after millions of years. Well, pre-cleaning gels work much the same way, after a short time a sticky skin forms on the gel, trapping the debris beneath and becoming virtually impervious to cleaning. Enter the pre-cleaning gel, easy to use, and convenient, made to prevent soil from drying onto used instruments; is it wet or just an illusion?

Sponges may not be the best way to pre-treat endoscopes at patient’s bedside. There are 54 billion bacterial cells on a single cubic centimeter of the average kitchen sponge. They are breeding grounds for all types of germs and bacteria. A common sponge’s spatial partitioning – the way it’s divided into different sectors of various sizes – caters to bacteria that prefer isolated environments and those that prefer to be around other organisms as well, making it the best of both worlds for microbial communities.