In brief

• Reducing OR and SPD waste can boost financial and environmental sustainability. 
• Data-driven technology, such as surgical instrument tracking, can identify unused instruments and streamline operations. 
  
• Implementing efficient tray organization and optimizing instrument containerization can help improve resource utilization.
   

Creating a more sustainable hospital in today’s climate is a matter of prioritizing both fiscal and environmental responsibility. With increasing operational expenses and a number of green initiatives, the U.S. healthcare system is challenged to refine its operations for a more sustainable and economically sound future. One crucial segment of this equation is the reduction of waste in the Operating Room (OR) and Sterile Processing Department (SPD).

Data-Driven Approaches to Boost Efficiencies That Cut Waste 

A modern solution to these historic challenges lies at the intersection of human expertise and technology. Instrument tracking software specifically designed for health systems and implemented by surgical asset management experts can provide OR and SPD leaders with detailed insights into their operations they never had before, such as:

• Inventory types and volume across facilities. 
• The current value of surgical assets. 
• What assets are required to meet the demands of the OR and clinics. 
• How inventory is being used to determine what can be repurposed and shared across service lines.
   

Armed with such data, leaders can engage in preference card cleanup, adjusting the specific instruments listed for procedures based on actual usage. Streamlining instruments in sets can lower the expenses for repairing or replacing damaged ones from processing wear and tear. 

This ensures that only the needed instruments are processed, helping to reduce the frequency of returns to sterile storage, saving on labor and increasing overall efficiency in the OR and SPD. This proactive approach contributes to the sustainability goals of the hospital on both financial and environmental fronts while enhancing patient care through the availability of the right tools for every procedure.

Achieving Sustainable Healthcare Operations 

Aesculap's expertise in sterile processing and surgical asset management combined with Ascendco's proficiency in translating raw hospital data into actionable analytics results in a modern approach to waste reduction. 

This collaboration may provide:

A minimization of unused instruments.

• With better data at their disposal, hospitals can ensure that only necessary instruments are prepared and used, leading to cleaner, more precise preference cards and eliminating waste.
   

Enhanced tray efficiency.

• Efficient organization and utilization of instrument trays mean fewer resources are used.
   

Reduced labor and reprocessing costs.

• By having a streamlined process, the costs associated with instrument reprocessing and related labor can be substantially cut down. 
   

Optimized containerization.

• Implementing plans that make the most out of containerizing instrument sets can boost both economic savings and environmental benefits.
   

Ready to reduce healthcare waste and enhance efficiency? Contact us today to learn more about our sustainable solutions for the OR and SPD.

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¹Aesculap, Inc. Data on File}