We all understand the principles of traceability and its importance in patient safety. However, is traceability within the CSSD sufficient to call it a data management system? To objectively assess your process performance, you need data. This data should not only come from your traceability system but also from other sources. Developing a data management system involves finding the right balance between measuring and obtaining the correct data and conducting analyses. What do you need to know to have an objective view of your process? Is it turnover times, the number of sets reprocessed per day, distribution of sets over operational working hours, etc.? We used all this data to make changes in our department’s policy and make it more efficient. One example of change we made is optimizing staff dispersion efficiently through the department. 

Identifying the risks within your CSSD process is an important aspect of ensuring the daily operational activity is secure. We employ methods like FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analyses) or risk matrix to assess various aspects of our department and process, including energy, infrastructure, human resources, IT, and the CSSD process itself. These analyses trigger the drafting of action plans to control these risks and often result in increased efficiency as a side effect. For instance, digitalizing the control process to reduce the risk of releasing non-sterile loads not only enhanced safety but also brought about significant time and economic savings. 

Policy plans play a crucial role in the development of your CSSD department. Creating a 10-year plan focused on equipment, increasing capacity, and optimizing staff deployment is essential. Thinking and working on both short and long-term ideas are key to improving efficiency. As a confirmation of these ideas, a yearly management review is performed to provide an overview of the department’s present activities and ensure top management’s support. Both of these components share the same goal: ensuring top management is on board with the improvement efforts. 

CSSD has always been a department heavily reliant on manual handling, which demands a considerable workforce. Manual handling can be costly and not always efficient, as staff members are not robots. However, due to advancements in technology, CSSD can now embrace automation and robotization. By utilizing AI, RFID, and robots in the CSSD process, efficiency can be improved.  

What does this means and how far can we go? 

The question remains as to what impact automation and robotics can have on the daily workflow of a CSSD and what is possible as technologies advance.