Research Question:

"What does the best currently available scientific evidence say about the effectiveness, safety, and potential economic benefits of reusing certain reprocessed single-use devices (SUDs)?"

• Single-use medical devices full report

• Single-use medical devices briefing note

Background:

Across Canada, the practice of reusing medical devices intended for single use is evolving. Health institutions that once routinely reused single-use devices that had been reprocessed in-house have moved away from such practices as the result of growing concerns about patient safety and potential legal liability.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, as of 2010, all Regional Health Authorities had issued policies that essentially prohibited the reprocessing and reuse of SUDs. Variation existed, however, in the wording of such policies and in the alignment of clinical practice with these written policies.

This expedited CHRSP report was based primarily on the evidence from a single systematic review produced by Agence d'évaluation des technologies et des modes d'intervention en santé (AETMIS) and subsequently contextualized by CHRSP for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador using input from local stakeholders with expertise in infection prevention and control.

The CHRSP Project Team:

The e-CHRSP Research Team: 

• Dr. Reiner Banken, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, External Affairs, Partnerships and Networks, AETMIS
• Dr. Stephen Bornstein, Director, NLCAHR, Memorial University (CHRSP Program Director)
• Janice Butler, Research Officer, NLCAHR (CHRSP Program Coordinator)
• Rob Kean, Research Assistant, NLCAHR
• Geneviève Martin, Researcher, AETMIS
• Lorraine Caron, Researcher, AETMIS
• Jean-Marie Lance, Senior Scientific Advisor, AETMIS

Advisors and Consultants:

• Norma Baker, Vice President, Regional Acute Care Services, Eastern Health
• Pierrette Bugden, Infection Prevention and Control, Eastern Health
• Cathy Burke, Program Director, Emergency Ambulatory Care Services, Eastern Health
• George Butt, Vice President, Corporate and Support Services, Eastern Health
• Doreen Cave, Manager, Peri-operative Programs, Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre, Eastern Health
• Joanne Collins, Quality Clinical Safety Leader, Eastern Health
• Beverly Griffiths, Regional Consultant, Board Services, Department of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Lori Ings, Manager, Sterile Reprocessing Department, Central Health
• Ron Johnson, Director, Materials and Biomedical Equipment Support Services, Eastern Health
• Louise Jones, Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer, Eastern Health
• Darlene Mahar, Clinical Care Coordinator, Endoscopy & Ambulatory Care Programs, Western Health
• Corenia Price, Regional Clinical Nurse Specialist, Labrador-Grenfell Health
• Dr. Daryl Pullman, Associate Professor of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
• Penny Ralph, Regional Infection Control Coordinator, Central Health
• Paula Stagg, Regional Infection Prevention and Control Specialist, Western Health
• Merlee Steele-Rodway, Regional Director, Medical Device Reprocessing Services & Infection Prevention and Control, Eastern Health
• Ron Swain, Regional Manager, Medical Device Reprocessing Services, Eastern Health
• Janet Templeton, Regional Director, Medicine Program, Eastern Health
• Elaine Warren, Director, Regional Surgical Services (Surgery), Eastern Health
• Marion Yetman, Provincial Infection Control Nurse Specialist, Department of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador