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Written ByRebecca Thompson
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PublishedJune 23, 2026
Understanding why process breakdowns occur in increasingly complex reprocessing environments
Most sterile processing professionals know what they’re doing, and they do it well.
Following IFUs, documenting processes, inspecting devices, completing quality checks, and sterilization parameters are not new expectations. What has changed is the amount of information, technology, and responsibility departments are being asked to manage.
A 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report identified staffing and retention, compliance requirements, IFUs, instrument complexity, and technology adoption among the most significant concerns facing sterile processing professionals today. As surgical volumes continue to grow and devices become more complex, many departments are finding themselves responsible for more work, information, and oversight than they ever were before.
For many departments, the issue is not a lack of knowledge or commitment. It is maintaining consistency while navigating a growing number of competing priorities.
More Demands, Same Shift
Robotic programs have expanded. Device complexity has increased. Manufacturers regularly update IFUs, and their length keeps getting longer. Documentation requirements continue to grow, and many facilities are processing higher case volumes.
At the same time, departments continue to navigate the normal staffing shortages, onboarding challenges, inventory constraints, and the reality that education and training often compete with production demands.
The workday has not gotten longer. The workload has.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Most of the process breakdowns do not begin with someone intentionally ignoring a policy or choosing not to follow a process. They usually begin with situations that feel familiar to the technician.
Scenarios like:
- A new IFU is reviewed during an in-service, but half the department is off that day.
- A process change is discussed during a huddle, but weekend staff never receive the update.
- A trauma case consumes available inventory, and suddenly, tray availability becomes everyone’s problem.
- A tracking system generates another exception that requires investigation before work can continue.
- A borescope is available, but multiple trays are waiting, and an add-on case has just been posted.
Individually, these situations are completely manageable. Collectively, they create friction that makes consistency almost impossible.
A recent Infection Control Today article highlighted concerns discussed during an HSPA 2026 presentation on “scan fatigue” and the growing number of alerts, notifications, and actual scanning requirements that many departments manage throughout the day. One example involved instructions to soak an instrument. The alert was acknowledged in the system, but the step itself was not completed. The concern was not the value of scanning itself. Rather, presenters questioned whether departments periodically review existing scans, alerts, and documentation requirements to determine which remain necessary and which may have simply accumulated over time.
That observation extends beyond scanning. Healthcare is very good at adding new requirements, new checkpoints, and new documentation steps. It is far less common to stop and evaluate whether older processes still serve a meaningful purpose.
When Small Gaps Become Bigger Problems
When communication gaps, staffing pressures, inventory constraints, competing priorities, and growing documentation requirements begin stacking on top of one another, departments can find themselves operating in a constant state of catch-up.
Over time, different shifts may begin handling the same process differently. Training becomes inconsistent. Tribal knowledge fills gaps that should be supported by standardized processes. Small variations become accepted because they help the work keep moving.
That doesn’t mean people don’t know the right thing to do. It may mean they’re trying to keep up with a growing number of demands, changes, and competing priorities.
Questions Worth Asking
When the same issue appears repeatedly, it may be worth stepping back and looking beyond the individual event. Some questions to consider:
- Are process updates reaching all shifts consistently?
- How are new IFUs communicated and reinforced?
- Are inventory limitations creating avoidable pressure points?
- Are technology tools supporting the workflow or creating additional steps?
- Have compliance expectations increased without additional resources?
- Where do technicians consistently feel rushed or experience delays?
The answers often reveal opportunities that are not immediately visible during day-to-day operations.
Process Improvement Opportunities
Facilities looking to reduce friction may benefit from focusing on a few key areas:
- Evaluate how process changes are communicated across shifts.
- Make education available beyond scheduled in-services.
- Review recurring issues and bottlenecks during staff meetings.
- Assess whether inventory levels align with procedural demand.
- Periodically review existing documentation, alerts, and workflow requirements to determine whether they remain necessary and effective.
Small improvements in these areas can help support consistency without adding additional burden to already busy teams.
Taking a deeper look at processes from an outside perspective can be a valuable exercise. Skytron has partnered with Advantage Support Solutions to help healthcare organizations identify workflow challenges, evaluate sterile processing operations, and uncover opportunities for improvement through services such as SPD assessments, workflow reviews, and educational evaluations.
Our industry is not getting simpler, and sterile processing certainly isn’t either. New devices, evolving requirements, staffing challenges, and increasing workloads are not going away. The good news is that many of these challenges can be identified, addressed, and improved with the right people, processes, and support in place.
Sources
1. Pure Processing. 2023 SPD State of the Industry Report. Available at: https://pure-processing.com/blog/2023-spd-state-of-the-industry-report/
2. Infection Control Today. Scan Fatigue in Sterile Processing: HSPA 2026 Interview Highlights Workflow Gaps and Opportunities. Available at: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/scan-fatigue-sterile-processing-hspa-2026-interview-highlights-workflow-gaps-opportunities
3. Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). ANSI/AAMI ST79: Comprehensive Guide to Steam Sterilization and Sterility Assurance in Health Care Facilities. 2023.
4. Hogg, J., Turner, D., & Wilson, M. An Observational Study of Errors in Surgical Instrument Reprocessing. Journal of Hospital Infection. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11017563/
5. Beyond Clean. SPD Workforce Survey: Time Constraints and IFU Compliance. 2023. Available at: https://www.beyondclean.net
6. Healthcare Purchasing News. The Business Case for Off-Site Sterile Processing Models. 2024. Available at: https://www.hpnonline.com
7. Advantage Support Solutions. SPD assessments, audits, education, and consulting resources. Available at: https://workwithadvantage.com/
