Even though their tools and equipment touch nearly every surgical patient in the world, how much do you really know about the people, processes, and products used in the Sterile Processing industry? The Beyond Clean podcast offers a creative look into the inner workings of a healthcare industry surrounded by challenges, disrupted by change, and committed to getting it right -- every instrument, every time. The team at Beyond Clean will bring on some of the biggest names in surgical instrument reprocessing and provide commentary on the biggest issues facing Sterile Processing professionals, facilities, administrators, manufacturers, and vendors. Join us every week as we explore the hidden world of one of the most important aspect of safe surgical care.
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Beyond Clean
Even though their tools and equipment touch nearly every surgical patient in the world, how much do you really know about the people, processes, and products used in the Sterile Processing industry?
- Episodes
- 975
- Run
- 2017 – 2026
- Latest
- Oct 2026
About the show
Episodes
975 total · newest first
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Real Talk: Ultrasonic Cleaner - A Must-Have SPD Device
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob continues his discussion on the importance of ultrasonic cleaning in the decontamination process, and focuses in on the need to load this equipment appropriately. Tune in to hear why your department...
Fighting Dirty: Build the Wall - Insights on Backup Surgical Instrument Inventories
Backup surgical instrument inventories can make or break your Sterile Processing department. A poorly designed or incomplete backup wall can create tremendous inefficiency and frustration for your team. A great backup wall and replenishment process...
Peter Nichol: Tray Optimization & Waste Reduction
How would you feel if one of your surgeons came down into your Sterile Processing department and it changed their mind about expectations, challenges, and opportunity for improvement for your team? On this throw-back episode from Season 1 (with new...
Beyond The Headlines: Surgical Instrument Lawsuits & The True Costs Of Poor Quality
On this episode, Mike and Hank went live with Beyond the Headlines to talk about surgical instrument lawsuits and the true costs of poor quality. ™ Click To Subscribe on , , , or or
Real Talk: Bursting Bubbles - Ultrasonic Tips for Proper Cleaning
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob starts bursting some bubbles by focusing on the importance of ultrasonic cleaning in the decontamination process. Tune in to hear about how ultrasonication works, tips to consider when using this...
Fighting Dirty: Is Time on Your Side? What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
So much of what we do in the decontamination area depends on time. But how equipped are your frontline technicians to correctly and compliantly process when each second counts? Do they have the timing tools they need for each stage of the dirty side?...
Beyond The Headlines: Surgical Instrument Sterilization Issues at Ajax Hospital
On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mike and Bob talk about potential causes to surgery cancelations in a Canadian hospital. They focus on why Sterile Processing leaders should be equipped to have difficult conversations in the name of patient...
Real Talk: The Truth about Manual Cleaning - Let this SINK in!
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob zeros in on precleaning, manual cleaning and the importance of three-bay sinks for compliant manual washing in Sterile Processing. Tune in to hear about some of the misinformation going on out there with...
Fighting Dirty: Inspection Borescopes - One Look Could Save a Life
One look inside of your cannulated or lumen devices could literally save your patient's life. So why wouldn't you take the time to do it? Or more importantly, why wouldn't hospitals provide appropriate tools such as inspection borescopes to enable...
Beyond The Headlines: Veteran Administration Hospital Delays Dental/Surgical Procedures
On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mike, Hank, and Bob talk about how infrastructure issues at a VA hospital on the west coast led to substantial delays and cancellation of various surgical and dental procedures for veteran patients. They focus...
Real Talk: Decontamination is Dirty, Wear Your PPE...Well!
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob gets down and dirty about decontamination, particularly the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) when completing your Sterile Processing duties. Tune in to hear about why your mask matters,...
Fighting Dirty: Ergonomics in Sterile Processing - Is Your Department Design Hurting Your People?
The most valuable asset in your Sterile Processing department isn't your $250K cart washer or your $3.5 million dollar fleet of surgical instruments -- it's actually your people. So the important question is whether your department design is actually...
Dr. David Perrett: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease & Prions - A Sterile Processing Focus
Although most Sterile Processing professionals around the globe have heard of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and prions, there are still many misconceptions around these topics and their importance in the context of Sterile Processing. On this episode...
Vendor Spotlight: InstruSafe by Summit Medical
What impact do broken surgical instruments have on patient safety, surgeon trust, and the bottom line of your department budgets? How about missing or misplaced instruments that cause delays in instrument reprocessing and turnovers? On this release of...
Beyond The Headlines: Free Sterile Processing College - A Community Investment
On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mike and Hank talk about an announcement out of Buffalo, New York regarding a free Sterile Processing training program for local students -- why it's awesome, and how this type of community investment will...
Real Talk: Perioperative Pre-Cleaning & Turnover Truths
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob speaks directly to our brothers and sisters in the Operating Room about the critical importance of pre-cleaning, and the truth about instrument turnover times. Tune in to hear about realistic timelines...
Fighting Dirty: Creating a Killer Sterile Processing Resume
Creating a great resume is one of the most important things you can do as a Sterile Processing professional who wants to grow. But many of us were never taught how to write a persuasive resume that says more than just when and where we worked. On this...
Beyond The Headlines: Ribbon Retractor Left in Patient & Why it Matters to SPD
On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mike and Hank talk about a recent headline grabbing story from a California hospital regarding a retained surgical item, this time a 2" ribbon retractor. They discuss some of the potential root causes and talk...
Real Talk: How to Make it Right - When it All Goes Wrong
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob explains how to approach challenging situations in your Sterile Processing department -- especially when they are not your fault (i.e. low staffing, insufficient instruments, inefficient processes). Great...
Fighting Dirty: Double Stacking in Your Washers Could Kill Someone
Sterile Processing professionals are the last line of defense for surgical patients. This means we have to be willing and able to "stop the line" when something unsafe happens in our departments. On this episode of Fighting Dirty with Hank Balch, Hank...
Peggy Spitzer: Created to Kill - Chemical Safety in the World of Clean
While manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs) are getting a lot of attention in Sterile Processing departments today, when it comes to chemical safety, you need to know exactly what your chemical's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) says. Did you know there's...
Beyond The Headlines: Single-Use Duodenoscope Coming To The US
On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mike and Hank talk about the latest announcement from Ambu A/S & Cook Medical regarding a Single-Use Duodenoscope that will be disrupting the US market. Cleaning, disinfection, and storage challenges...
Real Talk: 100K Hospital Deaths Per Year
On this episode of Real Talk w/ Bob Marrs, Bob brings up one of the most shocking statistics in all of healthcare -- nearly 100K patients are dying in our hospitals each year. Why is this happening? And how do we keep the national conversation focused...
Fighting Dirty: The Excellent Sterile Processing Shift Huddle
Shift huddles are one of the most important things you can do every day as a Sterile Processing team. But there are many departments out there who either don't do them at all, or do them all wrong. On this episode of Fighting Dirty, Hank gives some...