Authors (including presenting author) :
CHAN MC(1), CHAN NS(2), HUI SLF(2), LAU YY(1), HO WL(1), TSANG YL(1), TSUI YM(1), CHAN CM(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Central Sterile Supplies Department, Kowloon Hospital (2)Central Nursing Division, Kowloon Hospital
Introduction :
Kowloon Hospital (KH) Central Sterile Supplies Department (CSSD) provides disinfection and sterilization services to KH, Hong Kong Eye Hospital (HKEH) and four General Outpatient Clinics (GOPCs), reprocessing approximately 170,000 items annually. To enhance the efficiency of disinfection and sterilization services across the Kowloon West Cluster (KWC) and Kowloon Central Cluster (KCC), KH CSSD expanded its operations in February 2024 to include clinical users of Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) and additional GOPC. However, the department's limited space and rising demand, have created a significant challenge in accommodating the increased capacity.
Objectives :
To enhance the reprocessing capacity and efficiency of the CSSD in providing disinfection and sterilization services to clinical users at KWH and additional GOPC
Methodology :
To optimize the reprocessing capacity:
1. Identify the bottleneck of the service productivity
2. An additional washer disinfector and instrument dryer were installed.
3. The loading configuration of steam sterilizers was revised and revalidated to maximize the sterilization capacity.
4. Disposable substitutes were introduced to replace in-house dressing production and some reusable medical devices such as ventilator tubing, resuscitator, utensils, etc. KH senior management also supported an additional 50m² of satellite storage space for these disposable substitutes.
5. Service hours were extended by 1.5 hours.
To optimize the reprocessing efficiency:
1. Workflow and manpower allocation were adjusted to fully utilize existing facilities and equipment.
2. Electronic systems, such as the ePacking Handbook and KCC eOrder System, were integrated. A database for KWH ward-specific items was also established.
3. The CSSD item list, sets contents and packaging methods were standardized across hospitals.
Result & Outcome :
1. Through close collaboration with the KCC Sterilization Service Working Group, the KH Facilities Management team, and the KCC Procurement and Supplies Department, the disinfection and sterilization services for KWH clinical users and additional GOPC were successfully transitioned from KWC to KH CSSD in February 2024.
2. Over the past 10 months, approximate 130,000 items were reprocessed for the new services. This represents an over 80% increase in CSSD production compared with the same period in the previous year. The support and guidance provided by senior management were vital to the successful preparation of the project. Additionally, the effort of CSSD staff in taking up additional responsibilities was highly appreciated.
