Sterile Processing 101: Point of Use Treatment - The OR's Role in Sterile Processing
Release Date: 04/13/2026
First Case Podcast
A new season of First Case is on the way! In the meantime, weโre featuring a few episodes from our friends at Beyond Clean and Power Supply. Tune in today! From the OR to SPD, those contaminated instruments are on the move, and so are pathogens! In this Season 2 premiere of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Nicholas Day are joined by Rebecca Lauber, Kendall Ashe, Adam Okada, and Crystal Heishman to break down what really happens when soiled instruments leave the OR and make their journey to decontam. From point-of-use pre-treatment and biofilm build-up to OSHA...
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A new season of First Case is on the way! In the meantime, weโre featuring a few episodes from our friends at Beyond Clean and Power Supply. Tune in today! When case information, vendor requirements, and compliance data live in separate systems, even a small gap can create major delays. In Episode 2 of โOperate in Harmony,โ Brendan Shaw from ReadySet and Jay McDonald from Green Security join us to explore how connected technology can bring greater clarity to the people, products, and processes supporting every surgical case. From linking EHR, ERP, scheduling, and vendor credentialing...
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A new season of First Case is on the way! In the meantime, weโre featuring a few episodes from our friends at Beyond Clean and Power Supply. Tune in today! Not all UV technologies are created equal, and for supply chain teams, knowing the difference leads to better purchasing decisions. In this episode of โEvidence Over Expense,โ Dr. Sarah Simmons, DrPH, CIC, FAPIC, and Juan Gonzalez from Xenex help cut through the confusion and explain what healthcare organizations should really be looking for before investing in UV technology. From FDA authorization and product safety to service,...
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A new season of First Case is on the way! In the meantime, weโre featuring a few episodes from our friends at Beyond Clean and Power Supply. Tune in today! Black specks may be small, but the tension they create between departments can be anything but. In this episode of โWhat the Speck?,โ Alex Miseirvitch from Aesculapยฎ joins us to talk about one of the most overlooked challenges in solving the black speck mysteryโfinger-pointing. When trays are rejected and surgeries are delayed, the pressure to find someone responsible can quickly overshadow the real goal: protecting patients and...
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A new season of First Case is coming soon! Until then, weโre bringing some Season 11 favorites back for another listen. Bob Marley once said, โOne good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.โ Everyone can recognize the power that music has. Weโre drawn to it emotionally and spiritually, but we can also be affected by it physiologically. In todayโs interview with Dr. Alice Cash, CEO & Founder, Surgical Serenity Solutions, weโre going to uncover the many ways that music can benefit surgical patients. As a clinical musicologist and researcher, Dr. Alice...
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A new season of First Case is coming soon! Until then, weโre bringing some Season 11 favorites back for another listen. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Pathways are changing the surgical experience for our patients. Our surgical patients are experiencing shorter lengths of stay, decreased postoperative pain, a more rapid return of bowel function, and decreased readmission rates. Joining us today to provide more insight into the implementation and benefits of ERAS pathways is Kim Duggan, Senior Director and ERAS Specialist at Pacira Biosciences. Tune in to hear Kimโs personal...
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A new season of First Case is coming soon! Until then, weโre bringing some Season 11 favorites back for another listen. Are you ready for Season 11 to begin?? In this season, weโre โGoing Beyond Opioidsโ and focusing on the opioid crisis and alternative pain management methods. And weโre kicking it off with none other than Orthopedic Surgeon and Opioid Sparing Advocate, Dr. Scott Sigman! Tune in as Dr. Sigman shares his personal experiences and insights into the devastating effects of the opioid crisis and find out what sparked his passion for opioid sparing techniques....
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All season long, we've been breaking down the silos between the OR and Infection Prevention teams. So where do we go from here? In this "Silo-Free Surgery" season finale episode, Garrett Hollembeak and Lindsey Joyce are joined by Maureen Spencer and Peter Graves to talk about what it takes to turn collaboration into action. They discuss why effective SSI prevention means looking beyond policies and bundles to observe what's really happening before, during, and after surgery. From outdated policies and overlooked environmental risks to direct observation and surgical stewardship, Maureen and...
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When something doesn't look right in the OR, do you have the confidence to speak up? In this episode of โSilo-Free Surgery,โ Garrett Hollembeak sits down with certified surgical technologist, educator, and infection preventionist Julia Jackson to talk about the role surgical conscience plays in protecting patients and preventing surgical site infections. From protecting the sterile field to slowing down for a meaningful timeout and questioning something that doesnโt look right, Julia shares why doing the right thing in the moment matters, even when it isn't always easy. If you've ever...
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The OR sees one thing. Infection Prevention reports another. So who's right? In this episode of โSilo-Free Surgery,โ hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Trey Morrow are joined by infection prevention expert Emily Barnard to tackle one of the trickier parts of SSI surveillance: PATOS, or "present at time of surgery." Emily breaks down the difference between clinical and surveillance definitions, why the right documentation matters, and how seemingly small details in the operative note can make all the difference in accurate SSI reporting. From wound classification to the very specific language...
info_outlineWhat happens to your instruments during the case matters more than you think.
In this interview with Mike Matthews, we break down point-of-use treatment and why sterile processing actually starts in the OR, not decontam.
From biofilm risk to instrument damage, this episode highlights how small actions during a case have big downstream consequences.
This episode challenges the โnot my problemโ mindset and reinforces a critical truth: ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐-๐ผ๐ณ-๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น - ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น.
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