Physician's Corner Instrument Sterilization and High-Level Disinfection This e-blast covers the topics of instrument sterilization and high-level disinfection (HLD) of equipment used in ASC operating rooms (ORs) and procedure rooms. All of us who work in the ambulatory surgical setting are keenly aware of the need to maintain the same sterile standards for instrument sterilization that are found in hospitals, as well as assure that instruments such as endoscopes and flexible cystoscopes are cleaned in an approved and consistent manner. The resources provided for instrument sterilization and HLD of equipment encompass evidence-based approaches to guaranteeing a safe, pathogen-free environment whenever we perform a procedure in our centers. Like appropriate hand washing and safe injection practices, instrument sterilization and HLD serve as cornerstones to preventing contamination that can lead to surgical site infections and their consequences. We hope you find this information useful and timely. Wishing you a happy holiday season and new year. Howard Pitluk, MD, MPH, FACS, Vice President for Medical Affairs & Chief Medical Officer, Health Services Advisory Group

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Tools & Resources

Infection Control Today: Decontamination of Surgical Instruments Begins in the OR Share this information with your OR staff members and other departments to reinforce that decontamination begins in the OR. Read more .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines on Disinfection and Sterilization Learn about evidence-based recommendations on the preferred methods for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization of patient-care medical devices, and proper healthcare environment cleaning. Read more.

The Joint Commission: HLD and Sterilization BoosterPak Learn about the regulatory standards and evidence-based guidelines for HLD and sterilization in order to minimize the potential risk of infection transmission to patients.  Read more.

Other Resources and Certifications

If you are looking for certifications for your ASC, please visit the associations below. Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation Certification International Association for Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management Certification

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This material was prepared by Health Services Advisory Group, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for California, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. Publication No. CA-11SOW-ASC-12202017-01