PRECISION AND RELIABILITY: ABOUT INSTRUMENT REPROCESSING FOR THE WIENER PRIVATKLINIK

Franz Weiß, Managing Director of VSZ, spoke to us about the developments and challenges in instrument reprocessing – an area that has changed drastically in recent decades.

Mr. Weiß, can you give us an overview of the services that VSZ GmbH offers in the field of surgical instrument reprocessing?

Franz Weiß: The company VSZ (Versorgungs- und Servicezentrum für medizinische Bedarf GmbH) was founded over 20 years ago with the aim of offering hospitals quality-assured reprocessing of surgical instruments (cleaning, disinfection, inspection and sterilization including logistics) as an external service. As the reprocessing of instruments in the form of procedure-specific surgical cups and sterile individual instruments is not actually part of a hospital’s core business, it was obvious that this service should be provided by a specialized company. This external, centralized form of instrument reprocessing has since become established in Vienna and Lower Austria and the majority of clinics are supplied with sterile surgical instruments in this form.

How do you collect and reprocess surgical instruments and what measures do you take to ensure the highest standards of sterility and safety?

Franz Weiß: In principle, the instruments used are reprocessed after use in the operating room and then collected from the clinic according to validated processes until the sterile instruments are delivered. This process is completely digitally recorded and documented for the surgical instruments each time they are reprocessed, and this data must be stored and available for at least 10 years. In addition to the very strict legal and hygiene requirements for the external reprocessing of medical devices, external and internal training courses are held for employees on an ongoing basis. The machinery is also maintained and monitored by our own team of technicians to ensure the safety of the validated reprocessing processes.

Can you name specific technologies or processes that differentiate your company from other providers in this field?

Franz Weiß: One recent development is particularly worth mentioning, namely the reprocessing of robotic instruments (DaVinci system), which have also been used very successfully in the Wiener Privatklinik for more than a year. The special, very intensive reprocessing was developed together with the manufacturer of the instruments and is now being implemented in many clinics. A special feature here, for example, is pre-cleaning in an ultrasonic basin, with which the surgical procedures are simulated under IT control in order to achieve optimum pre-cleaning of the moving instrument parts. A microbiological examination is then carried out to ensure a hygienically perfect result.

How is the cooperation with Wiener Privatklinik structured and how is it ensured that all requirements and standards are met?

Franz Weiß: Collecting and delivering instruments to a hospital means that you always need competent contacts who can answer your questions, give you access authorizations, inspire confidence and also help you solve problems should they arise – all of this takes place at the highest level at WPK. The interest of both sides in implementing a well-functioning external instrument reprocessing system was fully shared by everyone involved, which meant that difficulties and outstanding issues could be resolved quickly and flexibly.

Are there regular quality controls or audits that are carried out together with Wiener Privatklinik?

Franz Weiß: The quality controls take place daily when the supplied sterile goods are used in the operating room. However, there are also meetings when required – regular meetings are planned for the future. On our side, documentation is also a central component of our work. Each instrument is given its own identifier and we carefully document every step of the reprocessing process. This is crucial for traceability and in the event of recourse claims.

How does your company deal with special customer requirements – is there room for individual requests in your day-to-day business?

Franz Weiß: Yes, individual, coordinated solutions are offered and implemented for special requirements. One example is the outsourcing of so-called “loan instrument cups”. These special instruments are provided to the clinics by implant manufacturers free of charge for the surgical procedure in the operating room so that the implant can be inserted professionally. The loaned instruments, which are often required for certain orthopaedic procedures, do not remain on site, but are available to the clinic at all times. A tailor-made solution was found in consultation with the manufacturers: The instruments are stored for the Wiener Privatklinik in the clean room area of the company VSZ in Leobendorf. If necessary, they are sterilized there and delivered to the clinic promptly for the operation. After the operation, VSZ ensures that the instruments are quickly collected, reprocessed and stored again so that they are ready for the next operation.