By: Christina Carpentier, Sterile Processing Manager, Seattle Children’s Hospital

In brief:

• When operating room (OR) and sterile processing department (SPD) teams rely on assumptions instead of facts, it can lead to distrust, blame and communication breakdowns.
• By creating shared visibility into defect data, timelines and process bottlenecks, our teams replaced guesswork with clarity and started solving problems together.

Letting data lead the way

One of the biggest perception challenges between the SPD and the OR is how quickly a single issue can turn into finger-pointing. The SPD gets blamed for delays or defects. The OR feels unheard or unsupported. It creates a cycle of frustration that feeds on assumptions.

So I asked myself: What would happen if we removed all the assumptions?

I started digging into the data. Not just the reports we already had, but gaps in the data that needed to be filled. We weren’t capturing everything we needed. We built out defect tracking forms, compiled logs from both SPD and the OR and developed a consolidated dashboard that could actually show what was going wrong and where. It was a start.

Stripping away what isn’t true

Once we had that foundation, perceptions started to shift. We could finally see the real picture. We weren’t debating opinions or pointing fingers. We were identifying patterns.

Some of the most helpful metrics we tracked included:

• SPD-to-OR defect rates
• OR-to-SPD defect feedback
• Turnover timelines
• Bottleneck points in tray reprocessing
• Root causes of repeat issues
   

We also created a system where both departments could log observations using the same language and forms. That way, when we sat down together to review issues, we weren’t pitting one side’s version of the story against the other side’s version. We were looking at a shared truth.

Making data collaborative

Data isn’t just about transparency. It’s about empowerment. When I presented the findings in joint SPD-OR meetings, I didn’t come in with finger-pointing slides or vague process maps. I laid out the facts and said, “This is what we’re seeing. This is what’s causing it. Here’s our plan, and here’s where we need you.”

I made it clear the solution belonged to both teams. That message landed. Once people saw their own role in the process and realized the hurdle wasn’t as big as they thought, they were more willing to buy in.

We also used these meetings to walk through action plans and listen to OR input. Their feedback became part of the solution. That alone helped shift perceptions more than any single presentation could have.

Turning facts into forward motion

Improving the SPD–OR relationship started with listening, but it was data that helped move the conversation forward. By grounding our discussions in facts and presenting them in a way that included both departments, we created shared accountability and clearer expectations. When the SPD team and the OR staff saw and understood the same numbers and challenges, it became easier to work toward the same solutions.