Damien Berg, the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association’s (HSPA) vice president of strategic initiatives, sees three key challenges facing sterile processing and its practitioners: time, staffing and funding.

“It is essential that facility executives understand how vital SP professionals are to patient care, infection prevention, and positive outcomes,” he said in a recent Q&A with Single-Use Endoscopy on the state of the industry. We caught up with him in advance of Sterile Processing Week 2023, which starts Oct. 8.

Berg, BA, BS, CRCST, AAMIF, brings to his role experience gleaned as a 21-year combat medic, a scrub technician, sterile processing technician, a lean processing improvement coach and a sterile processing manager. HSPA is the organization formerly known as IAHCSMM, where Berg served as president in 2018-2019.

Here is our conversation with Berg.

SUE: What are the biggest challenges in sterile processing today?

Berg: Time challenges can mean pressure from end-user customers who may request technicians to turn around instruments more quickly than is safe or in alignment with standards, best practices, instructions for use (IFU) and even the SPD’s own policies and procedures.

Staffing-related challenges, though not unique to the [sterile processing] profession, include departments around the country and even the world that struggle to attract and retain enough qualified employees to manage the volume effectively and efficiently.

It is essential that facility executives understand how vital SP professionals are to patient care, infection prevention, and positive outcomes. It is vital that the SPD has adequate funding, training and correct supplies and equipment for technicians to do the job correctly and consistently and do it in time required to meet the recommendations in the IFU and the needs of the customer and patient.

SUE: Which regulatory challenges or guidelines are having the most impact on sterile processing practices?

Berg: In the U.S., I see the challenges coming down to both the surveyor and the facility understanding the current standards, like those from AAMI (e.g., ST79, ST91 and others), and how they are used in real-world practice. It is also important to understand the language in the recommended standards and requirements — such as the differences between “may,” “must,” “shall” and “should” — and how they are interpreted in the day-to-day work of the department and reflected in the policies and procedures.

SUE: How are sterile processing departments collaborating with other healthcare departments to address these emerging challenges?

Berg: Facilities, biomed, water management, infection prevention, purchasing, emergency preparedness and others are all essential to the SPD, so there should be SP representation. I recommend reaching out to leadership and finding out more about how the SPD can join meetings and have a seat at the table. This provides an opportunity for people in the facility who might not know who the SPD is and what it does to learn more and put a face and name to the department. Then, when you need to collaborate or make a request, those important introductions have already been made.  

SUE: What initiatives are showing success in attracting new sterile processors to the field?

Berg: HSPA is working at the national, state and local levels to promote the profession in high schools and colleges, among state legislators and members of Congress, and within healthcare organizations’ executive leadership. These initiatives are only possible when our members and professionals also spread the positive message and welcome new technicians into the department.

The power of positivity and professionalism is contagious and will translate to success in attracting and retaining the best technicians and departmental leaders. We also need our existing SP leaders and experienced technicians to mentor new colleagues and help give them the knowledge and support they need to continue to grow and advance within the profession.

SUE: What steps are being taken to standardize certifications and educational requirements?

Berg: HSPA continually ensures that our certifications are valid to the profession, the job requirements, and the national standards. We participate in all areas of education and standards development to ensure that our education is current and aligned with evidence-based practices, and we survey our members and certificants and bring in subject-matter experts that provide us valuable real-world feedback and input in our certification process.