WETM
Mandatory requirements that would make medical equipment cleaner and safer for patients could be on the way for northern tier hospitals.
Monday, Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Baker was in Harrisburgfor a hearing on the issue of proper medical device and equipment sterilization.
Baker is working on State House Bill 220 that could require certification for technicians who are responsible for sterilizing medical equipment.
One woman in attendance says she and her staff had an experience where a technician didn’t properly sterilize some equipment. Luckily, a supervisor noticed and more than 20 unclean machines were prevented from being used on patients.
She said, “Thank god none of them were used. We managed to get them all back and opened them up and sure enough the integrator on the inside of the them did not read black. That means none of them were sterile.”
Baker said, “It seems to me all the healthcare providers would already be doing this, obviously, hopefully some better than others. I think you’ve made a compelling argument for why there needs to be a certification for technicians.”
Baker says there’s a need for this bill due to the high number of people who contract illness after going into a hospital.
Baker says as of now there’s no date set on when this bill will be voted on.