CLEANASCOPE System Enhances Endoscope Transport & Handling

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“The liner system is one of the most important reasons why many facilities are adopting the CLEANASCOPE System—the color-coded liners take the guesswork out of endoscope reprocessing.” According to Thomson, the CLEANASCOPE System quickly resolves endoscope transport problems. The closed, reusable transport trays, carts, and liner system reduce the risk of cross-contamination from droplet or airborne contaminants and allow secure transportation to and from decontamination rooms. “With the CLEANASCOPE trays and mobile cart, instruments are safely contained, and it is no longer necessary to carry around soiled equipment in open containers,” she said. Eliminating the Guesswork The CLEANASCOPE System helps ensure that patients are not inadvertently exposed to infection risks. The patented, single-use liner system offers a protective environment for a disinfected endoscope and provides clear identification for staff of whether the equipment is clean or contaminated. After a patient procedure, the endoscope is wiped down, flushed, and placed in a CLEANASCOPE tray. A red liner cover then is placed over the tray, ensuring that the endoscope can be Red & Green Liners Identify Clean Versus Contaminated Endoscopes, Improving Patient Safety The CLEANASCOPE System’s unique colored liners improve patient safety by signaling to staff whether an endoscope is clean or dirty. A contaminated endoscope is placed in a tray and covered with a red liner, indicating that it is contaminated. Once reprocessed, the endoscope is covered with a green liner, letting staff know that is safe to use. 2 Benefits of the CLEANASCOPE Liner System: • Reduces risk of crosscontamination • Offers a protective environment for endoscopes • Provides clear identification of whether equipment is clean or contaminated • Protects patients and improves the efficiency of the reprocessing cycle safely and hygienically transported back to the cleaning room—and alerting staff members that the endoscope is contaminated. Once the endoscope is reprocessed, it is placed in a CLEANASCOPE tray, with a clean liner, and covered with a green liner cover, signaling to staff that it is safe to use for procedures. This unique liner system helps protect patients and improve the efficiency of the endoscope reprocessing cycle. (See Sidebar: Red & Green Liners Identify Clean Versus Contaminated Endoscopes, Improving Patient Safety) According to Thomson, it can be difficult to differentiate between clean and dirty endoscopes when a facility uses open containers. “Equipment can be placed in a receptacle that isn’t easily identifiable as being dirty,” she said. “In a busy endoscopy environment, there is the potential risk of someone picking up that scope and using it on another patient. Now with the CLEANASCOPE System, there is a fail-safe way of telling whether scopes are clean or dirty, and staff can make sure instruments are in the appropriate area— especially important in hectic endoscopy departments.” The CLEANASCOPE System also contributes to increased efficiency. “The ability to quickly, easily, and safely transport instruments from the procedure room to the decontamination area and back greatly improves efficiency,” she said. “The system works very well. Facilities can place carts near the endoscopy rooms stocked with clean endoscopes, and clinical staff members will know exactly where to go to find what they need. When a procedure is complete, scopes can be immediately transported in a covered, color-coded tray to the decontamination area. Everyone will know what they are doing, and people in the decontamination room can quickly see what needs to be cleaned. The liner system is one of the most important reasons why many facilities are adopting the CLEANASCOPE System—the color-coded liners take the guesswork out of endoscope reprocessing.” Cutting Repair Costs Thomson said that another key feature of the CLEANASCOPE System is its reusable trays, which guard against costly equipment repairs by protecting endoscopes from accidental damage during transport.
This benefit is especially important as hospitals face growing financial pressures and must safeguard expensive instrumentation, including flexible endoscopes, which are prone to handling damage and costly to repair. According to the literature: • At least half of endoscopes in hospital settings may be unavailable for use because of repair needs. 1 • Damaged endoscopes can be expensive to repair, disrupt a facility’s capacity to provide endoscopy services, and potentially compromise patient safety. 2 • Approximately 70-90% of endoscope damage may be attributed to improper handling. 3–5 • Proper endoscope care and handling can dramatically improve the lifespan of an endoscope. 3 According to Thomson, the CLEANASCOPE System trays help reduce endoscope damage. “The trays are well-sized, so you don’t need to tightly coil the endoscope for transport, reducing damage,” she said. “Also, having endoscopes safely in individual covered trays prevents accidental damage during transport to and from the decontamination area. That’s very important in busy endoscopy departments. Facilities have experienced less repair time and cost for endoscopes since they started using the CLEANASCOPE System.” This is critical, Thomson said, as the instruments are expensive, with endoscopes costing from $20,000 to more than $80,000 each. 3,6 The financial impact is exacerbated because damaged endoscopes can lead to canceled procedures and delays in patient treatment. Focus on Standards According to Thomson, the positive experience of hospitals with the CLEANASCOPE System is indicative of a growing focus on instrument processing standards and infection prevention in the United States, Europe, and around the world. Many professional organizations, hospitals, and endoscopy centers have developed guidelines to govern the transport and handling of these fragile, high-priced instruments. Professional organizations in the U.S., including the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA), have issued guidelines or recommended practices calling for the transport of endoscopes in a covered receptacle at all times. 7,8 In the United Kingdom, the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on GI Endoscopy also has issued similar standards regarding the transport of endoscopes. 9 (See Sidebar: Guidelines for Transporting and Handling Flexible Endoscopes) In the United Kingdom, Thomson served as a JAG lead nurse advisor and said that in recent accreditation visits to facilities, there has been an increased concentration on reviewing and improving decontamination practices, including endoscope transport and storage. “When we started decontamination assessments, things were not in good shape,” she said. “Now, most units have made significant investments to improve their practices, and standards are rapidly rising. Endoscopy departments worldwide are spending the money to improve services, and there is more emphasis on using equipment such as the CLEANASCOPE System. “With endoscopy, we must be vigilant to prevent putting patients and staff at risk,” Thomson continued. “As a result, we want to always minimize exposure to infections, and the CLEANASCOPE System provides a key solution. Every time there’s an infection outbreak in a hospital, there is an investigation. When you have solid procedures in place so staff can look at an endoscope and know it is clean with a visual sign, you can reduce the chance that a contaminated endoscope is the cause. If the scopes are clean, you’re not transporting infections. Guidelines have been a big driver for change, and it’s a small price to pay to get something like this into place” ■ Guidelines for Transporting & Handling Flexible Endoscopes: • AORN recommends that endoscopes be transported “…in a manner that preserves the sterilization/ disinfection status of the endoscope.” 7 • SGNA recommends transporting endoscopes in closed containers to avoid chances for cross contamination. Its guidelines state that, when transporting an endoscope to the reprocessing area, an enclosed container will prevent escape of airborne and droplet contaminants. 8 Experts emphasize that it is important to consider both the protection of the apparatus and the environment during transport. 10 • CDC guidelines state that, “A protocol should be developed that ensures the user knows whether an endoscope has been appropriately cleaned and disinfected,” and endoscopes should be stored “in a manner that will protect them from damage or contamination.” 11 • The UK National Health Service’s National Endoscopy Programme guidelines require that “endoscopes are transported to the decontamination area in a covered receptacle that is of an appropriate size as to avoid contaminating the environment,” and when transporting an instrument to and from the endoscopy unit, “endoscopes are transferred in a receptacle with a hard lid that completely encloses the endoscope.” 9 3
Page 1: Expert Insights CLEANASCOPE System

CLEANASCOPE System Enhances Endoscope Transport & Handling

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