When you make your decision on which AER to purchase you might be somewhat stuck with the responsibility of using disinfectants and detergents that the manufacturer designed the Automatic Endoscopic Reprocessor to be used with. It's similar to buying a Ferrari and needing to always buy premium fuel going forward. Maybe this is not an issue for you and it's definitely not always the case. However, it something to consider.

The type of disinfectants / chemicals used directly impact the reprocessing time, efficacy and the energy used to operate the equipment. There's a number of factors that determine this but a couple that we've discussed in a prior article in our blog that have to do with the temperature of the disinfectant and contact time. If it's used at room temperature it may take less time to bring it up to temperature increasing energy efficiency. And the less contact time with the scopes being disinfected can also expedite the overall cycle time as well.

Compliance with safety and testing standards used internationally (ISO EN-14885, ISO EN-15883 1-4-5 and others) is another important factor when shopping for an AER. You'll want to ensure you're using products that are safe, compatible with the endoscope you're considering and compatible with its components and accessories they come into contact with.

Additionally it's critical to make sure that the detergents and disinfectants you use are safe for your staff. By researching the manufacturers safety features, (I.e. gaskets, filters and methods creating a closed system), you can hopefully reduce the amount of exposure time your staff has with the disinfectants and the equipment's sanitizing processes.

The CDC.gov website offers a guideline for disinfection and sterilization in healthcare facilities.

https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/tables/table4.html

It displays a comparison table with the characteristics of selected chemicals used as high-level disinfectants or chemical sterilant. This might be helpful to bring you up to speed on what's recommended. It also indicates the MEC (Minimum effective concentration) I.e. the lowest concentration of active ingredients at which the product is still effective.

With all of this to consider, buying your detergents/disinfectants and consumables from a respected source like MedService Repair makes great sense. If you have any questions at all, please call us at your convenience.