Beyond Clean Podcast

You're building a tray. The phone rings. Someone needs an update. You step away… and just like that, the process breaks. On this week's episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Katie Belski are joined by Art Babiy, Jennifer Greisen, and Ebow Holdbrook-Smith to talk through the real challenges #CleanFreaks are facing in assembly areas. From stepping away mid-tray and chasin...

$4,999. In many SPDs, that number can be the difference between getting what your department needs—or waiting months for approval. On this episode of Beyond Clean, we're joined by Stephen Benzel, Director of Accounting at LifeSpring Health Systems, to take a closer look at the financial decisions directly impacting how your SPD operates day to day. From the risks tied to splitting invoices to how...

When black specks show up in your trays, water is often the first suspect—but is it really to blame? In this episode of "What the Speck?," Christian Abell from Aesculap's Surgical Asset Management team dives into one of the most common theories behind the black speck mystery: water quality. From city water changes and construction disturbances to failing filters and aging equipment, Christian brea...

Think one brush fits all? Think again! On this week's episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," hosts Jill Holdsworth and Trevor Hazen are joined by Nelson Winter, Emily Barnard, and Ron Hunsucker to take a closer look at how brush selection, sizing, and technique impact your manual cleaning process. From choosing the right brush size and type to knowing when a brush has reached the end of its life, this g...

It might only be a few steps from the OR to decontam, so how do you ensure your instruments get there safely? This week on Season 32 "SPD Fact Check," we're joined by veteran Sterile Processing consultant Marc Finch as he shares what it really takes to move contaminated instruments safely through your facility. From what AAMI ST79 requires to why back table drapes and biohazard bags fall short, Ma...

Is the PPE your team relies on actually built for the environment you work in? On this week's Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™, Ken Arthur and Desiree Acedo from MAXAIR® Systems join us to explore how the MAXAIR® CAPR® system is redefining safety, comfort, and protection in high-heat, high-moisture decontamination environments. With ANSI-AAMI PB 70 Level 4 Fluid/Splash and NIOSH Approved Respiratory...

Behind every black speck is a process, a piece of equipment, or a hidden culprit waiting to be discovered. In this episode of "What the Speck?," SPD professional and consultant Warren Nist joins us to discuss how departments can move beyond identifying debris and begin uncovering the root cause behind it. From quality reports and workflow data to full department risk assessments, Warren walks thro...

You followed the IFU. You brushed. You flushed. So it's clean… right? On this week's episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," hosts Jill Holdsworth and Brandon Gantt are teaming up with Aaron Preston, Cheron Rojo, and Jahan Azizi to take a closer look at what's hiding inside your lumen instruments. As more departments adopt borescopes, teams are uncovering retained debris, moisture, and internal damage th...

Case carts in, case carts out—but do you really know what's happening inside your SPD's cart washer? On this episode of Beyond Clean, we're joined by Angus Bruce as he breaks down what modern cart washers are actually capable of—and where teams can run into trouble without realizing it. From when it makes sense to run instruments through them to why your chemistries might be expiring in the deterg...

When a black speck shows up in a surgical tray, the first question is simple: "What is it?" But as many Sterile Processing teams discover, the answer is anything but straightforward. On this episode of "What the Speck?," global reprocessing expert Dr. Gerhard Kirmse from Aesculap joins us to explore the science of identifying this pesky, unidentified debris and to tackle the question at the center...

Peel pouches hanging from clips, dust collecting in bins, trays stacked just a little too high… sound familiar? When it comes to sterile storage, small shortcuts can lead to big risks. On this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Mark Copeland sit down with Tiffany Reece, Malinda Elammari, and Kendall Ashe to dive into the storage challenges showing up in sterile stora...

Robotic cases aren't slowing down—and neither are the demands on Sterile Processing. On this premiere episode of Beyond Clean's Season 32, "SPD Fact Check," we introduce your co-host for the season, Jaime Amaya, aka "The Robot Whisperer," as she breaks down what it really takes to keep robotic instruments moving safely through SPD. From complex flushing requirements in decontam, to ultrasonic sele...

Every #CleanFreak has seen them at least once—those mysterious black specks appearing in surgical trays with no clear explanation. But are they just a nuisance… or a warning sign of something bigger? In Episode 1 of our brand-new podcast series "What the Speck?," host Bobby Parker welcomes Alex Miseirvitch, Senior Product Manager for Rigid Sterile Containers at Aesculap ® , to explore the mystery—...

Stacks of vendor trays arriving without warning, stat turnaround instruments soaking in the sink, and techs scrolling through 100+ documents to find the right IFU… welcome to decontam! In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Michael Matthews are joined by Trevor Hazen, Jake McHugh, and Katie Belski to take a closer look at what's happening in today's decontaminati...

Ask any #CleanFreak, and they'll tell you—endoscope reprocessing is one of the most complex processes in Sterile Processing. So how are you setting your team up for success? In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Kevin Anderson are joined by Jennifer Leitner, Dyan Darga, and Emiley Body to take a closer look at the real challenges impacting endoscope reprocessing...

 Struggling with instrument shortages, case delays, and constant turnover pressure? What if one change could help you do more with what you already have? On this week's Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™, Kristina Ketchum of Ketchum Konsulting shares how ONE TRAY®/IST is helping facilities streamline workflows, reduce waste, and keep cases moving without costly slowdowns. Kristina went from "ONE TRAY?...

Temperature swings, humidity spikes, HVAC failures, and water emergencies — oh my! In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Benjamin Galvan are joined by Jonathan Wilder, Chase Elms, and Aaron Preston to explore how environmental emergencies can impact Sterile Processing operations. Together, they tackle real-world scenarios that can quickly disrupt workflows and t...

Think water is just water? Not in Sterile Processing! In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Aaron Preston are joined by water quality experts Shane Sullivan and Jeffrey Paquet to break down why water quality matters and what the ST108 standard means for your SPD. Together, they explore key concepts like utility water vs. critical water and dig into what RO, DI,...

Robotic surgery is a game-changer for patient care — but what does that mean for the teams responsible for safely reprocessing these complex instruments? In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," hosts Jill Holdsworth and Rebecca Alvino are joined by Rebecca Peplau, Vanessa Frank, and Tamara Behm to tackle the most common challenges of robotic instrument reprocessing. From sinks that are too small...

Behind every sterilized instrument is a dedicated MDR professional. So, how do we support these professionals who make surgery possible every single day? On this season finale of Beyond Clean Canada, hosts Barry and Stacey sit down with the Canadian Association of Medical Device Reprocessing (CAMDR) President, Danny LeBlanc, and Secretary, Stephanie Mailman-Crouse, to explore how CAMDR is building...

Hey #CleanFreaks, pop quiz: When's the last time you washed your hands on the clean side, and should you have? On this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth, co-host Rebecca Alvino, and special guests Ebow Holdbrook-Smith and Ivan Gowe dive into the gray areas of when, where, and how SPD staff should be performing hand hygiene. From identifying the critical transition points where...

Picture this: your steam goes down on a busy Tuesday morning. Cases are booked, patients are waiting, and your sterilizers won't run. What's your team's first move? On this episode of Beyond Clean, we sit down with Jennifer Greisen from Aesculap to tackle one of SPD's most uncomfortable questions: what do you do when your department can't sterilize instruments, and the clock is ticking? With decad...

Big news from ONE TRAY®! On this Beyond Clean Vendor Spotlight™ episode, we're joined by Tim Tzimas, newly appointed President & CEO of ONE TRAY®/IST, along with Barbara Ann Harmer, Vice President of Clinical Services, to share two major ONE TRAY® announcements. Listen in to learn more about Tim's story and what inspired him to take the helm of ONE TRAY/IST. Also learn about ONE TRAY®'s secondary...

Building an MDR career is one thing. But leading education for an entire province? That's a whole different challenge. On this episode of Beyond Clean Canada, Stacey and Barry sit down with Tiffany Church, Clinical Educator for Medical Device Reprocessing across Nova Scotia Health, to hear how she took on that exact challenge head-on. Tiffany shares her journey from technician to provincial educat...

From the OR to SPD, those contaminated instruments are on the move, and so are pathogens! In this Season 2 premiere of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Nicholas Day are joined by Rebecca Lauber, Kendall Ashe, Adam Okada, and Crystal Heishman to break down what really happens when soiled instruments leave the OR and make their journey to decontam. From point-of-use pre-treatme...