LISTS AND RESOLUTIONS – ISSUE NO. 32

The start of the New Year 2010 brings about lists of all kinds, from the "Best movies "to the "Hot travel spots" of 2009 and everything in between. It also brings resolutions. "How am I going to change?" or "What can I do better?". Well, I have put together my list for 2009 of the "Hot Topics" for CS/OR/Endo and Medical Device Manufacturers. It is just four general headlines but here they are:

1. TASS continues to be in the headlines read more...
2. Flash Sterilization in general was highlighted by CMS and JCAHO
3. Cleaning verification is coming to the forefront in importance for sterilization and high level disinfection; we have to " Keep it Clean"
4. Endoscope reprocessing in general was in the news all year for the ASC center in Las Vegas to the VA to the STERIS 1 concern

My resolution is to continue to volunteer and be active with the various professional groups in my state. I want to ask everybody to be more active within their own state or local professional groups. Volunteer your time. Giving your time enables you to see first hand the results of your efforts. Volunteer positions can range from being a board member to help with fund raising and everything in between. We are all busy, but if we take a few hours each month we can make a difference. My other resolution is to help mentor somebody in my field. We all have knowledge to share, we need to share it. I truly believe that knowledge is power, but the real power comes when we share that knowledge with others. Let us all try to share what we know with others, it could be at a meeting or simply helping them study for a certification exam. What ever it is, we need to share what we know with others because in the long run the patient is the one who will benefit.