Coming Soon: IAHCSMM Endoscope Reprocessing Manual, Endoscope Certification
The International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) has partnered with industry experts and leaders in endoscope reprocessing to publish the IAHCSMM Endoscope Reprocessing Manual. This comprehensive resource will provide valuable information to all endoscope reprocessing technicians and managers, regardless of their level of experience.
“Studies and surveys supported the need for endoscope education, and providing needed education is aligned with IAHCSMM’s mission,” said IAHCSMM Education Director Natalie Lind. “This has been an exciting project. We pulled together some of the best resources in the field to create a text that is informative and user friendly.”
No question, the need for targeted guidance on proper endoscope reprocessing is great. Inadequate endoscope reprocessing has made the news and ECRI Institute identified inadequate cleaning of flexible endoscopes before disinfection as the number one health technology hazard in ECRI Institute’s Top 10 list for 2016.
Broad-based content
In addition to providing pertinent information on a range of technical topics, the Endoscope Reprocessing Manual will also provide information on other topics that will strengthen the practices of any endoscope reprocessing area.
“We developed this text to provide a resource for endoscope reprocessing staff and anyone associated with endoscope reprocessing,” said Lind. “It takes the reader through all aspects of endoscope reprocessing. If Instructions for Use (IFU) provide the hows, this text provides the whys.”
Major topics addressed in the text include:
- Introduction to Endoscopes
- Endoscope Anatomy, Procedures and Terminology
- Microbiology Basics for Endoscope Reprocessing Technicians
- Work Area Design
- Cleaning Basics
- Point-of-Use Cleaning, Transport and Leak Testing
- Cleaning Processes for Flexible Endoscopes
- Endoscope Inspection and Preparation
- High-level Disinfection Processes for Flexible Endoscopes
- Sterilization Processes for Flexible Endoscopes
- Endoscope Handling, Storage and Transport
- Rigid and Semi-Rigid Endoscopes
- Human Factors in Endoscope Reprocessing
- Regulations, Standards and Resources
- Endoscope System Management
The text will be available as a standalone publication or as a boxed set (which will include a study workbook as well as the text).
From education to certification
In addition to this important new manual, IAHCSMM has also been working to create a new endoscope certification program. Beginning in June 2016, several test development meetings were held with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) throughout the country, culminating in an industry-wide endoscope survey released last fall. The work of these SMEs and the results of the survey have allowed IAHCSMM to map out a blueprint for the upcoming Certified Endoscope Reprocessing (CER) exam. Using that blueprint, additional SMEs will work this summer to create, edit and review new questions for the upcoming exam.
In December 2017, following this year’s round of SME workshops, IAHCSMM will offer a discounted pilot exam for the new CER certification. Then, in the spring of 2018, the endoscope certification exam will be released for regular testing
