The Office of Sterile Processing (OSP)
OSP - Accomplishments
Elevating Standards for Safe and Efficient Veteran Care Introduction:
The Office of Sterile Processing (OSP) is instrumental in ensuring the highest standards of sterilization processes within VA, providing essential support for safe patient care. Through a series of strategic initiatives and educational programs, OSP fortified its operations to support the efficient delivery of reusable medical devices (RMDs) and improve surgical outcomes for Veterans. By successfully conducting a comprehensive national exercise, OSP reinforced its commitment to continuous improvement and resource optimization.
The office adeptly managed significant financial resources, directing them toward critical upgrades that bolster system performance. Through concerted efforts in standardizing practices and modernizing equipment, along with ensuring thorough training and education for staff, OSP solidified the foundation for delivering safe and reliable care. The impressive certification pass rates and the deployment of targeted orientation programs for new nurse executives demonstrate OSP’s proactive approach to leadership development and quality assurance. Collaborative efforts with key offices and the expansion of educational opportunities have been crucial in maintaining high standards of care for Veterans, particularly in the critical area of sterile processing.
Key Achievements:
National Point-in-Time Exercise:
Executed a national exercise to verify the robustness of Sterile Processing Service (SPS) processes, leading to the identification of best practices and improvement opportunities for operational efficiency.Site Visit Oversight:
Oversaw findings from priority site visits, actively tracking and providing collaborative oversight to ensure the resolution of critical issues.SPS Standardization and Modernization:
Coordinated national contracts to standardize and modernize business and clinical practices across VHA SPS, improving quality and safety in patient care.Sterile Processing EHRM Council Establishment:
Formed a council dedicated to ensuring standardization across disciplines, workforce, equipment, and SPS design, including instrument tracking system enhancements.Sterile Processing EHRM Council Establishment:
- Continued to promote best practices and maintain a surgery RMD cancellation rate of less than 1%, emphasizing efficiency and safe medical device provision.- Specific Purpose Funding program allocated $53,521,156 to 123 facilities for the modernization and standardization of RMD and reprocessing equipment and training.
- Funded registration fees for 146 medical center sterile processing staff, totaling $65,700, to attend the annual Healthcare Sterile Processing Association Conference.
- Conducted three face-to-face sterile processing seminars for 180 Nurse Executives.
Site Visit Reporting Enhancements:
- Refined site visit reports to include executive summaries and priority findings, integrated Health- Reliability Organization (HRO) principles and involved VISN in the review process.
Education and Training Expansion:
Expanded SPS education to include training from various VHA program offices and partnered with the Office of Accreditation for Joint Commission training sessions, engaging more than 1,000 VHA staff members.Certification and Communication Improvements:
Overhauled the OSP education communication SharePoint site and certification request process, achieving a 92% certification pass rate following educational sessions.Orientation Planning for New Leaders:
Established an orientation planning work group, resulting in comprehensive training modules and an orientation plan for new Associate Directors for Patient Care Services (ADPCS).Training for Nurse Executives:
Successfully deployed new orientation training for SPS Nurse Executives, including VISN Chief Nursing Officers and facility ADPCS, with significant attendance.Leadership Resource Guide Development:
Created a training and resource guide for SPS leaders, ensuring 100% training completion among VISN Chief Sterile Processing Officers and establishing a dedicated SharePoint site for resource access.Clinical Restructuring Reviews:
Collaborated on Clinical Restructuring Reviews with the National Surgery Office and other key stakeholders, supporting new program implementations while securing necessary sterile processing resources.
