Alleged Sterile Processing Service Deficiencies VA Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle, Washington.

摘要

The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections conducted an inspection to assess the validity of allegations regarding clinical and administrative operations within the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) at VA Puget Sound Health Care System (the system) Seattle, WA. The complainant alleged that improper sterilization of equipment placed patients at harm and that this risk was not disclosed. It was also alleged that SPS reprocessed single-use devices (SUDs) without approval to do so, failed to keep standard operating procedures (SOPs) current, did not provide staff training, and did not maintain accurate staff competencies. We substantiated that equipment was used in a sterilizer for which its use is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration; however, we did not substantiate that this caused the instruments involved to be unsterile or that patients were placed at risk. We did not substantiate that SPS and system leadership knowingly covered-up and failed to disclose to physicians and patients processing problems associated with equipment.