Improving how hospitals clean and prepare surgical instruments
System Optimization for Advances in Sterile Processing
This project will develop tools and new workflows to make instrument cleaning and tray preparation more reliable for patients having surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143004 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, this project aims to make sure the instruments used in your surgery are clean, complete, and ready when needed. The team will study how sterile processing units work at five departments across two hospital systems, build computer models of their workflows, and create data-visualization and prediction tools to spot and prevent problems like missing or dirty instruments. They will compare different ways to represent SPD work and try interventions to improve tray composition, point-of-use reprocessing, and handling of interruptions. The work focuses on changing systems and processes rather than treating patients directly.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients scheduled for operations at the participating hospitals are most likely to benefit and could have their care impacted by the changes tested.
Not a fit: People not undergoing surgery or patients treated at hospitals not involved in the project are unlikely to see direct benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce surgical delays and lower the risk of surgical site infections by improving how instruments are cleaned and prepared.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier, smaller work showed system-level factors drive many instrument problems, but applying predictive models and visualization tools across multiple hospitals is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Charleston, United States
- Medical University of South Carolina — Charleston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Catchpole, Ken — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Catchpole, Ken
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.