Overview
- Newly released state reports describe hundreds of surgical instrument trays left open to air and heavily soiled with dried blood and tissue in and near the sterile processing department.
- Regulators issued an “immediate jeopardy” finding, and the hospital halted nonemergency procedures from July 16 to July 25 while corrective actions were taken.
- The backlog followed an operating-room expansion that raised sterile processing staffing needs from 65.2 to 85.2 FTE, with inspectors finding no evidence staffing had been increased as required.
- Instruments sometimes went unprocessed for more than 24 hours and up to six days, prompting warnings about biofilm risk and citations for a 72-hour spraying practice that contradicted manufacturer instructions.
- A September follow-up found the facility in compliance; UCHealth reports about 140 FTE now in sterile processing with higher pay, inspectors documented no patient harm, and no further sanctions were imposed.