Method of sterilizing medical devices, analyzing biological indicators, and linking medical device sterilization equipment
A biological indicator analyzer includes a plurality of wells, a plurality of organism detector features, and a user input feature such as a touch screen. Each well is configured to receive a respective biological indicator. Each organism detector feature is configured to detect whether a biological indicator disposed in a corresponding well of the plurality of wells contains a living organism. The touch screen is configured to receive user input and provide information to the user indicating a status of biological indicator analysis. The biological indicator analyzer may be used to analyze a biological indicator that was positioned in a sterilization chamber of a sterilizing cabinet along with at least one medical device that is to be sterilized. The analysis may indicate whether the sterilization cycle in the sterilization chamber as successful.
1. A system for processing medical devices, the system comprising:
(a) a sterilizing cabinet comprising a processor, a display, an identification tag reader, and a sterilizing compartment, wherein the sterilizing cabinet is operable to perform a sterilization cycle on a medical device and a biological indicator contained within the sterilizing compartment;
(b) a biological indicator analyzer comprising a well, a light source, and sensor, wherein the indicator analyzer is operable to perform an indicator analysis on the biological indicator, using the light source and the sensor, when the biological indicator is placed in the well;
(c) a server configured to store a medical device database, wherein the medical device database comprises information describing the history and use of a plurality of medical devices; and
(d) a communication hub comprising a network interface, wherein the communication hub is configured to exchange information between the sterilizing cabinet, the indicator analyzer, and the server;
wherein the processor is configured to:
(i) display a prompt via the display for a user to scan the biological indicator with the identification tag reader,
(ii) receive a set of biological indicator data from the identification tag reader,
(iii) display a set of compatible sterilization cycles via the display based upon the set of biological indicator data, and
(iv) receive a sterilization cycle selection from a user, wherein the sterilization cycle selection is selected from the set of compatible sterilization cycles.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the sterilizing cabinet has not received the set of biological indicator data, display a soft indicator requirement via the display.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the sterilizing cabinet has not received the set of biological indicator data, display a hard indicator requirement via the display, and prevent performance of the sterilization cycle until:
(i) the set of biological indicator data is received, or
(ii) a bypass code is received.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the biological indicator is expired based upon the set of biological indicator data.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the biological indicator has been recalled based upon the set of biological indicator data.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the biological indicator is compatible with the sterilizing cabinet based upon the set of biological indicator data.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to display a load placement image based upon a selected sterilization cycle, wherein the load placement image comprises:
(i) a location for one or more medical devices, and
(ii) a location for the biological indicator.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the biological indicator analyzer is configured to:
(i) emit a light from the light source toward the biological indicator disposed in the well, and
(ii) use the sensor to detect fluorescence from the biological indicator disposed in the well.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the biological indicator analyzer is configured to receive a well selection and an indicator selection from a user and, in response, query the server to determine whether a control indicator has been tested for an indicator lot associated with the indicator selection and, where the control indicator has not been tested, display a control notification to the user via a touch screen.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the biological indicator analyzer is configured to, in response to receiving a signal indicating that a user intends to place the biological indicator in the well, display a chemical indicator guide via the display; wherein the chemical indicator guide is configured to display an original chemical indicator and a post-sterilization chemical indicator; wherein the processor is further configured to receive a selection from a user indicating whether the chemical indicator of the indicator matches the original chemical indicator or the post-sterilization chemical indicator.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the biological indicator analyzer is configured to, in response to a failed indicator test, receive an identification from a user of the biological indicator analyzer, receive an acknowledgment of the failure from the user, display a set of quarantine instructions to the user via the display, access the server in order to identify one or more medical devices associated with the failed indicator, and generate a notification comprising a description of the one or more medical devices associated with the failed indicator.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication hub is configured to manage a set of device configurations, wherein the set of device configurations comprises a sterilizing cabinet configuration and a biological indicator analyzer configuration, and wherein the communication hub is configured to exchange information based upon the set of device configurations.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the set of device configurations comprises a network pairing code.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication hub is configured to provide a notification to a user associated with one or more of the sterilizing cabinet, the biological indicator analyzer, and the biological indicator.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication hub is configured to provide a device overview interface to a user device, wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:
(i) a device identifier,
(ii) a sterilization cycle summary,
(iii) a sterilization cycle table, or
(iv) a sterilization cycle visualization.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sterilization cycle summary comprises a total number of cycles, an average cycles per day, and a number of cycles including a biological indicator, wherein the sterilization cycle table comprises a set of rows, each row corresponding to a single sterilization cycle performed by the sterilizing cabinet, wherein the sterilization cycle visualization comprises one or more of a pie chart, a bar chart, or a graph.
17. A system for processing medical devices, the system comprising:
(a) a sterilizing cabinet having a sterilizing compartment, wherein the sterilizing cabinet is operable to perform a sterilization cycle on a medical device and a biological indicator contained within the sterilizing compartment;
(b) a biological indicator analyzer comprising a well, a light source, and sensor, wherein the indicator analyzer is operable to perform an indicator analysis on the biological indicator, using the light source and the sensor, when the biological indicator is placed in the well; and
(c) a communication hub comprising a network interface, wherein the communication hub is configured to exchange information between the sterilizing cabinet and the indicator analyzer;
wherein the biological indicator analyzer is configured to receive a well selection and an indicator selection from a user and, in response, determine whether a control indicator has been tested for an indicator lot associated with the indicator selection and, where the control indicator has not been tested, display a control notification to the user.
18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a server configured to store a medical device database, wherein:
(i) the medical device database comprises information describing the history and use of a plurality of medical devices,
(ii) the communication hub is further configured to exchange information with the server, and
(iii) the biological indicator analyzer is configured to determine whether the control indicator has been tested for an indicator lot based upon data stored in the medical device database.
19. A system for processing medical devices, the system comprising:
(a) a sterilizing cabinet having a sterilizing compartment, wherein the sterilizing cabinet is operable to perform a sterilization cycle on a medical device and a biological indicator contained within the sterilizing compartment;
(b) a biological indicator analyzer comprising a well, a light source, and sensor, wherein the indicator analyzer is operable to perform an indicator analysis on the biological indicator, using the light source and the sensor, when the biological indicator is placed in the well; and
(c) a communication hub comprising a network interface, wherein the communication hub is configured to exchange information between the sterilizing cabinet and the indicator analyzer;
wherein the biological indicator analyzer is configured to, in response to a failed indicator test receive an identification from a user of the biological indicator analyzer, receive an acknowledgment of the failure from the user, display a set of quarantine instructions to the user via the display, identify one or more medical devices associated with the failed indicator, and generate a notification comprising a description of the one or more medical devices associated with the failed indicator.
20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a server configured to store a medical device database, wherein:
(i) the medical device database comprises information describing the history and use of a plurality of medical devices,
(ii) the communication hub is further configured to exchange information with the server, and
(iii) the biological indicator analyzer is configured to identify the one or more medical devices associated with the failed indicator based upon data stored in the medical device database.