Why Service Matters Most When Purchasing Sterile Processing Equipment

What 43 Years of Service in Sterile Processing Taught Me

Over my 43-year—and counting—career, I have participated in more Sterile Processing Department builds, rebuilds, and renovations than I can count on two hands. These projects involved equipment from many manufacturers and multidisciplinary teams evaluating every possible factor: processing times, utility consumption, production capacity, available floor space, workflow, productivity, and more.

Yet after the construction was complete and the equipment was in service, one factor consistently had the greatest long-term impact on the department—uptime.

Why Service Should Be Your No. 1 Consideration When Purchasing Sterile Processing Equipment

Purchasing new equipment for a Sterile Processing Department is a major investment. Features, capacity, productivity, technology, utility requirements, and purchase price all deserve careful consideration.

However, one factor should be evaluated before everything else:

Who will support the equipment after it is installed?

A sterilizer, washer-disinfector, ultrasonic cleaner, cart washer, drying cabinet, water-treatment system, or instrument-tracking system may offer impressive technology and an attractive purchase price. None of those advantages matter when the equipment is out of service, and qualified support is unavailable.

In Sterile Processing, equipment reliability directly affects instrument availability, surgical schedules, employee workload, regulatory compliance, and patient care.

Equipment Is Only Valuable When It Is Operational

Healthcare facilities do not purchase Sterile Processing equipment simply to own new technology. They purchase the ability to clean, disinfect, inspect, assemble, sterilize, store, and distribute medical devices safely and consistently.

When critical equipment becomes unavailable, the effects can spread quickly:

• Instrument turnaround times increase.

• Processing capacity decreases.

• Staff may be required to work overtime.

• Surgical procedures may be delayed.

• Loaner instrumentation may not be ready on time.

• Remaining equipment must absorb additional workloads.

• Instruments may need to be transported to another facility.

• Staff may feel pressured to take shortcuts or modify workflows.

• Preventive maintenance and quality testing schedules may be disrupted.

Equipment that remains out of service while the facility waits for a technician or replacement part can quickly become more expensive than a higher-priced system with dependable support.

The Purchase Price Is Only the Beginning

Organizations frequently compare equipment based on its initial purchase price. Although acquisition cost matters, it represents only one part of the equipment’s total cost of ownership.

Long-term costs may include:

• Preventive maintenance agreements

• Replacement parts

• Emergency service calls

• Technician labor and travel

• Software updates and licensing fees

• Water-treatment requirements

• Utility consumption

• Cleaning chemicals and consumables

• Staff training

• Validation or performance testing

• Lost productivity during downtime

• Overtime caused by reduced capacity

• Surgical delays or cancellations

• Transportation of instruments to another location

  
  

A lower purchase price can lose its appeal quickly if the organization struggles to obtain service, technical support, or replacement parts.

The better question is not simply, “How much does the equipment cost?”

The better question is:

“What will it cost our organization to own, operate, maintain, and depend on this equipment throughout its expected life?”

Local Service Coverage Matters

Before selecting equipment, determine whether the manufacturer or service provider has qualified technicians in your area.

A company may advertise national service coverage, but national coverage does not always mean dependable local support. If the nearest technician is several hours away—or responsible for a large geographic territory—response times may be longer than expected.

Ask potential vendors:

• Where is the nearest qualified service technician located?

• How many technicians support our geographic area?

• What is the average response time for an emergency call?

• Is after-hours, weekend, and holiday support available?

• Does the company use its own technicians or subcontractors?

• Are technicians trained specifically on the equipment being considered?

• What happens when the assigned technician is unavailable?

• Can the vendor provide references from nearby healthcare facilities?

• Is remote diagnostic support available?

• Is response time guaranteed in the service agreement?

Do not accept a general assurance that service is available. Ask for measurable expectations and include them in the agreement whenever possible.

Parts Availability Determines the Length of Downtime

A technician may arrive quickly, but the equipment will remain unavailable if the necessary part cannot be obtained.

Before making a purchase, ask:

• Which replacement parts are stocked locally?

• Where is the primary parts distribution center?

• Are critical components available for overnight delivery?

• What is the typical lead time for commonly replaced parts?

• How long will the manufacturer support the equipment model?

• Are critical components proprietary?

• Can the facility stock selected high-failure parts?

• What happens when a component becomes obsolete?

• Are loaner components or temporary solutions available?

Sterile Processing equipment often remains in service for many years. The organization needs confidence that technical support and replacement parts will remain available long after the initial sale.

Preventive Maintenance Protects the Entire Operation

Preventive maintenance is essential for safe and reliable equipment performance. It can help identify worn components, calibration issues, leaks, deteriorating seals, failing pumps, blocked spray arms, software problems, and other conditions before they result in an unexpected failure.

The preventive maintenance program should be evaluated before the equipment is purchased.

Healthcare organizations should understand:

• The required maintenance frequency

• What is included during each service visit

• Which parts are routinely inspected or replaced

• Whether calibration is included

• How long the equipment will be unavailable

• Whether service can be scheduled outside peak production hours

• How maintenance activities will be documented

• Whether service records are readily accessible

• What daily or weekly maintenance remains the facility’s responsibility

• Whether failing to complete certain tasks affects the warranty

• Is remote monitoring available

  
  

Service documentation is also a compliance consideration. During an accreditation survey or regulatory review, the organization may need to demonstrate that equipment has been inspected, tested, and maintained according to the manufacturer’s written instructions.

Review the Service Agreement Carefully

Service agreements are not all the same. The least expensive agreement may contain exclusions that leave the facility responsible for substantial costs.

Review the agreement for:

• Standard and emergency response times

• Business-hour limitations

• After-hours and weekend coverage

• Travel charges

• Labor charges

• Included and excluded parts

• Preventive maintenance coverage

• Software and firmware updates

• Water-quality-related exclusions

• Consumable items

• Remote diagnostic services

• Loaner equipment availability

• Escalation procedures

• Annual price increases

• Contract cancellation terms

• Guaranteed uptime, if offered

The agreement should also define what happens when the service provider repeatedly fails to meet its commitments.

A service agreement should protect the department’s ability to operate—not simply provide scheduled maintenance visits.

Consider All Systems That Support the Equipment

Sterile Processing equipment does not operate independently. Its performance may depend on several supporting systems, including:

• Water quality

• Steam quality

• Water pressure and temperature

• Electrical capacity

• Drainage

• Ventilation

• Compressed air

• Chemical delivery systems

• Network connectivity

• Software interfaces

• Environmental conditions

  
  

When equipment fails to perform as expected, vendors may attribute the problem to the facility’s utilities or infrastructure. Before purchasing, clearly define who is responsible for evaluating these systems and resolving related problems.

The organization should receive written utility and installation requirements before approving the purchase. Facilities, clinical engineering, information technology, Infection Prevention, and Sterile Processing should review these requirements together.

Compatibility With Existing Operations Is Essential

New equipment must work within the department’s actual environment.

Before selecting a system, evaluate:

• Current and projected instrument volume

• Peak production periods

• Available physical space

• Workflow and department layout

• Utility capacity

• Device manufacturers’ instructions for use

• Required cycle parameters

• Instrument and container compatibility

• Chemical availability

• Staff training requirements

• Integration with existing tracking systems

• Backup capacity during maintenance or repairs

Equipment should not be selected solely because it performs well in a demonstration. It must support the facility’s instruments, workload, workflows, and patient-care demands.

Remote Support Is Helpful—but Has Limits

Many modern systems offer remote monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. These tools may allow technical support personnel to review error codes, identify performance trends, and resolve certain issues without an onsite visit.

Remote support can reduce downtime, but it cannot replace qualified field service.

A remote technician cannot replace a failed pump, repair a leaking door seal, clear a damaged spray system, correct a utility problem, or install a replacement component.

Remote diagnostics should strengthen local field service—not replace it.

Ask Current Customers About Their Experience

This may be one of the most valuable steps in the process. Contacting local hospitals to ask about their experience may not always produce a response, but when it does, the firsthand insight can reveal a perspective that no manufacturer or sales representative can provide.

Vendor presentations naturally focus on features, benefits, and successful installations. Before making a final decision, speak directly with Sterile Processing leaders and facilities personnel who currently use the same equipment.

Ask them:

• How reliable has the equipment been?

• How frequently has service been required?

• How quickly does the service provider respond?

• Are parts readily available?

• Are recurring alarms or failures common?

• Is technical support easy to reach?

• Does the equipment perform as promised?

• Are service records complete and accessible?

• Have service costs matched the original projections?

• Would they purchase the same equipment again?

The answer to the final question may provide more useful information than a lengthy product presentation.

Include Sterile Processing in the Purchasing Decision

Sterile Processing professionals who will operate the equipment should have a meaningful role in selecting it.

They understand:

• Daily production demands

• Instrument volume and complexity

• Existing workflow limitations

• Common equipment problems

• Staff capabilities

• Quality-monitoring requirements

• Turnaround-time expectations

• The consequences of equipment downtime

Facilities personnel understand utilities, installation requirements, preventive maintenance, and building systems. Infection Prevention, perioperative leadership, clinical engineering, information technology, finance, and supply chain may also provide essential perspectives.

A multidisciplinary evaluation reduces the risk of purchasing equipment that looks impressive in a proposal but does not meet the department’s operational needs.

Evaluate the Vendor as Carefully as the Equipment

Purchasing Sterile Processing equipment creates a long-term relationship with the manufacturer and service provider.

The evaluation should consider:

• Equipment performance

• Service response

• Technician availability

• Parts support

• Preventive maintenance

• Staff education

• Technical communication

• Documentation

• Software support

• Long-term product support

• The vendor’s history of resolving problems

The best equipment is not necessarily the system with the most features or the lowest price. It is the equipment that can be operated, maintained, and supported reliably throughout its useful life.

Service Is a Patient-Safety Consideration

Equipment service may appear to be a maintenance or purchasing issue, but its effects reach much further.

Dependable equipment and service support contribute to:

• Consistent instrument availability

• Effective cleaning and disinfection

• Reliable sterilization processes

• Timely surgical procedures

• Compliance with manufacturers’ instructions

• Complete maintenance documentation

• Reduced pressure on Sterile Processing employees

• Safer and more dependable patient care

  
  

When service support is weak, the organization may be forced to make difficult decisions while operating with reduced capacity. That is not the time to discover that the nearest technician is hours away or that a critical part is backordered.

Final Thought

Equipment specifications tell you what a system is designed to do.

The service organization determines how quickly that system returns to operation when something goes wrong.

Before approving any Sterile Processing equipment purchase, ask:

Who will answer the call, how quickly will they arrive, and will they have the parts and expertise needed to restore the equipment to service?

If those questions cannot be answered confidently, the purchasing decision is not complete.

At Evolved Sterile Processing Consulting LLC, we help healthcare organizations evaluate equipment, departmental capacity, workflow requirements, infrastructure, and long-term service needs before major purchasing decisions are made.

Evaluate the equipment. Investigate the service. Protect the operation.

Visit www.evolvedsterileprocessing.com or call 217-371-8488 to learn how ESP can support your next equipment evaluation