Blog Categories
By Category
What is a Scope Washer?
In medical facilities, cleanliness is not just a requirement—it's a matter of life and death. And one crucial piece of equipment with regards to maintaining cleanliness is the scope washer. A scope washer, or scope cleaner, is a machine designed to clean and disinfect endoscopes. These instruments, used for internal examinations, must be spotless and sterile after each use. Without proper cleaning, they could become a breeding ground for bacteria and through cross contamination risk patient safety. This guide covers a number of topics that will help you understand more about scope washers and a few of the top manufacturers who build them.
Introduction to a Scope Washer
A scope washer is like a dishwasher but for medical instruments. The difference is that scope washers are specifically built for cleaning endoscopes—those flexible tubes doctors use to look inside the body. After every use, endoscopes are required to be thoroughly cleaned. Manual cleaning isn't even close to good enough as they have to be fully disinfected. That's where scope washers come in. They automate the cleaning process, ensuring every nook and cranny is reached and disinfected.
Why Scope Washers Matter
- Preventing Infections: Just like a surgeon can't use contaminated instruments, endoscopes can't be reused without being fully cleaned and disinfected. The risk of cross contamination and infection is just too high otherwise. Scope washers help eliminate that risk. Using specially formulated enzymatic detergents they're able to reach areas within endoscopes that would be impossible to simply wipe off. They eliminate unwanted substances, bacteria and viruses that could cause serious infections.
- Compliance with Regulations: Hospitals can't cut corners. Strict rules govern the cleaning of medical instruments. Scope washers help hospitals meet these rules and guidelines. Scope washers offer a standardized cleaning process that meets these stringent health regulations.
- Saving Time and Labor: Cleaning endoscopes by hand is like trying to wash a car with a toothbrush—tedious, time-consuming and there's just places you can't access. Scope washers do their job fast and efficiently and are able to reach places that washing by hand would be impossible. The automation of this required step frees up staff to focus on other critical tasks allowing more procedures to be performed through increased efficiency.
- Protecting Expensive Equipment: Endoscopes are delicate and costly. Improper cleaning can damage them, leading to costly repairs or replacements. Scope washers clean gently but thoroughly, often extending the equipment's service life.
Types of Scope Washers
There are different types scope washers that are manufactured to fit different needs. Depending on your space constraints and volume of procedures there's a lot to consider.
- Tabletop Scope Washers: If you have a small office, or just very little space for anything else to fit, a tabletop scope washer might be perfect for your facility. They fit on a counter and are often very small. But don't underestimate them based on their size. Some of these like the OER-Mini feature very fast (16 minute) reprocessing times.
- Floor Standing Scope Washer Disinfectors: Floor standing units come in many sizes, features and some with multiple basins. They handle everything—cleaning, rinsing, and disinfecting. Some come with wheels allowing them to be moved to different areas in your office as needed and some have optional storage solutions for cleaned endoscopes, detergents and other supplies. Floor standing units are typically Ideal for hospitals or large medical practices that need a comprehensive solution.
- High-Volume Scope Washers: Think of these as the heavy lifters. Designed for hospitals and medical practices that have high patient turnover. They clean multiple endoscopes at once and sometimes are placed between endoscopy suites whereas they serve multiple suites. Some have multiple basins and boast extremely fast processing times allowing your office to keep up with your busy schedule.
Scope Washer Manufacturers
When it comes to scope washers, Medivators, Cantel and Steris have all been major players in the industry for quite some time. But there's been a number of acquisitions over the last few years which might make shopping for a scope washer a little confusing. Cantel acquired Medivators a few years back and Steris acquired Cantel more recently. As of today 08/27/2024, sometimes searches for scope washers take you https://www.cantelmedical.eu/ , some to the Medivators site, which sometimes will forward to the Steris website depending on the URL you've found.
While there's always pros and cons to acquisitions there's may be some consequences for hospitals and medical facilities who own specific Medivators CER scope washers with regards to servicing. Specific CER scope washers may not be supported any longer by the original equipment manufacturer, Steris / Medivators. The DSD-201 is also no longer being supported / serviced by Steris either.
Fortunately, these CER scope washers and DSD-201 scope washers are serviced by 3rd party entities. So even if the OEM is no longer supporting or servicing specific Medivators AERs it may not be an issue at all and could actually save hospitals and medical facilities a great deal in cost of service. Third party solutions like MedService Repair are available and often much more cost effective.
Below are some of the scope washer models that MedService Repair offers maintenance Service & parts for. This list is by no means all of the units MedService Repair services:
- Medivators CER Scope Washer Maintenance & Service
- o CER-1 (one endoscope per cycle)
- o CER-2 (two endoscopes per cycle)
- o CER-OPTIMA
- Medivators MV Scope Washer Maintenance & Service
- o MV-1
- o MV-2
- o CER-2
- Medivators DSD Scope Washer Maintenance & Service
- o DSD-201
- o DSD Edge
- o DSD-91E
Choosing the Right Scope Washer
Deciding on the right scope washer isn't easy as it's not a one-size-fits-all situation. It's critical to consider your facility's budget and specific needs. Here's just a few things to consider:
- Number of Scopes: It's important to consider the volume of procedures your facility may do. Do you handle a few scopes a day or dozens? High-volume, dual basin washers are great for busy hospitals. Smaller clinics might prefer single basin or smaller tabletop models.
- Space Constraints: Some washers are big, some are small. If you're short on space, look for a compact model that doesn't compromise on quality. A tabletop model might be a great fit.
- Features: There are so many different features available. So the question becomes do you want all the bells and whistles? Once you decide what features are important to you, it might be a good idea to create a spreadsheet comparison of scope washers features to help you you're your decision.
- Regulatory Requirements: Make sure the washer you choose meets all health regulations. This is non-negotiable for keeping patients safe and avoiding penalties.
How to Maintain Your Scope Washer
Proper maintenance of your scope washer is just as important as choosing the right one. Regular servicing and cleaning of the machine itself will extend its life and ensure it operates effectively. And replacing filters as needed and keeping an eye on wear and tear goes a long way with regards to preventing breakdowns and costly repairs. We have a number of related AER / Scope Cleaner maintenance articles that we encourage you to read through. And if you have any questions or would like to speak to us directly with regards to service for your scope cleaner, please feel free to call us at the number at the bottom of this web site.
Final Thoughts
Scope washers are definitely the unsung heroes of any healthcare facility by keeping endoscopes clean and patients safe. By taking the time to choose the right model that fits your facilities needs your internal processes should run more smoothly. But even more importantly it's a step toward better patient care, enhanced safety protocols, and more efficient medical practice operations. We hope this article has helped with your search and given you a little more insight on how to
