A sterile processing department operates behind the scenes in an ASC, but its impact is felt throughout the facility.

“An SPD is key to the functioning of an ASC,” says Caryn Fink, RN, CASC, director of clinical operations for Riley Outpatient Surgery Center and IU Health Surgery Center-Harcourt, both in Indianapolis, Indiana. “If instruments are not properly cleaned and sterilized, you could harm patients, and that goes against everything we strive for.” When the right parameters and standards are followed, instruments last longer and perform as expected, she says. “Accurate processing also supports room turnover, keeps cases on time and helps the schedule run smoothly.”