Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are increasing in the United States, with inappropriately reprocessed medical devices a potential source of outbreaks.
Ultrasound is one of the most common technologies in healthcare, used throughout almost all medical departments. This widespread use leads to a risk of cross-contamination between patients, and not all ultrasound procedures carry the same level of risk. Different procedures involve different techniques, clinical environments or patient characteristics, often requiring different levels of reprocessing. Following the Spaulding classification to properly reprocess ultrasound probes is a key strategy to help break the chain of HAI transmission.
Nanosonics has partnered with Becker’s Healthcare to explore the infection risks of improperly reprocessed ultrasound probes and how to protect patients from HAIs. Learn about how ultrasound probes can be contaminated after use, how not all ultrasound probes carry the same level of risk, and how it only takes one poorly disinfected probe to put patients at risk.
