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The Best Way to Safely Transport Endoscopes
Every year around the world, millions of digestive endoscopies are performed to diagnose and monitor a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions. Healthcare facilities that perform digestive endoscopies receive several cases daily, resulting in sustained demand for endoscopy equipment.
To ensure the continuity of numerous endoscopic procedures, endoscopes must be transported to the medical device reprocessing department for reprocessing and then returned to the procedure rooms.
This frequent movement of endoscopes between decontamination areas and operating rooms requires the use of a safe means of transport. Endoscopes are fragile and must be handled with care to avoid damaging the distal end during transport or reprocessing. They must also be protected from the risk of cross-contamination, which could affect patient health.
Currently, the endoscope tray is the preferred method of transporting endoscopic instruments. It has been specifically designed to safely transport contaminated or clean endoscopes. It is a transport tool suitable for endoscopic devices such as gastroduodenoscopes, colonoscopes, and other flexible endoscopes.
The Best Advantages of Endoscope Trays
Among the many advantages attributed to endoscope containers are the following:
They enable safe transport. Whether clean or contaminated, once inside the container, the endoscope is transported safely between the procedure room and the medical device reprocessing department. In addition, models equipped with a safety seal offer additional control over the contents in transit.
They protect the endoscope. The best models are made from sturdy materials and feature a rigid lid that protects the endoscope from airborne contaminants. Acting as a protective shell, the container plays an important role in preventing damage to endoscopic instruments and reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
They indicate the status of the device being transported. Specialized endoscope containers are equipped with transparent lids and a label that clearly indicates whether the endoscope in transit is clean or soiled.
They are compatible with high-temperature washers. The most effective containers are made from materials that can withstand repeated cleaning and hospital detergents. They can also withstand the high temperatures of automatic washer-disinfectors used in healthcare facilities.
They facilitate work and enhance productivity. By adopting the tray as the method of transporting endoscopes, endoscopy departments and medical device reprocessing departments (MDRDs) use the same system, which helps to simplify and improve workflow.
They comply with sustainable development practices. Container models that do not require protective liners reduce the supply, operating, and waste management costs associated with the use of consumables. The use of a container with a reusable lid therefore contributes to sustainable development.
Purchasing Endoscope Containers: Five Useful Things to Check to Make the Right Choice
When purchasing containers for transporting endoscopes that will be used frequently, it is important to determine whether the solutions are sustainable in the long term and whether they comply with the institution's sustainable development policies.
To help you make an informed choice, here are a few useful points to check:
1- Are they large enough?
The containers must be spacious enough to hold rolled-up endoscopes without the flexible parts being too tightly packed (as this could damage the devices).
2- Are they easy to close?
The lid should be rigid and fit snugly onto the container so that it can quickly protect the endoscopic devices being transported.
3- Do they have a clean status indicator and a contaminated status indicator?
Endoscope transport containers should have a biohazard label to clearly differentiate between endoscopes that are ready for use and those that need to be reprocessed.
4- Are they easy to clean and reusable?
The inner and outer surfaces of the container and lid should be perfectly smooth to facilitate cleaning. In addition, the materials used should be sufficiently strong and durable to withstand frequent washing cycles with cleaning and disinfecting agents.
5- Do they require the use of protective liners?
This last point is particularly important for budgetary and operational planning. The use of consumables, such as protective liners, generates recurring costs while requiring more resources. Protective liners have a particular impact on inventory and waste management, not to mention the environmental impact of certain models.
As an example, the table below illustrates the savings achieved by a hospital that replaces its trays requiring protective liners with endoscope trays with reusable lids. For illustrative purposes, the cost associated with the procurement, logistics, and disposal of consumables has been estimated at $9 per case.
Taking, for example, an endoscopy department with a weekly caseload of 250 cases, the gross savings can be estimated at $2,250 per week, $9,750 per month, and $117,000 per year (see the Cost-Benefit Analysis Table below).
Furthermore, the table above shows that the savings are significant in the long term, even for the smallest volumes of endoscopic procedures.
Since each facility has its own mode of operation with its own associated costs, the savings achieved by replacing trays that require protective liners with trays with reusable lids could be more significant than illustrated in the example above. For complete data on the savings achieved, the cost of purchasing containers with lids and daily cleaning must also be taken into account.
In summary, it is important to choose the right endoscope transport tray, as it is a crucial tool in the endoscope reprocessing process. Not only does it ensure the safety of patients and hospital staff, but it also extends the life of endoscopic devices by preserving the quality of this expensive equipment.
