Could on-demand services play a pivotal role in future-proofing endoscopy workflows? A new model for loan endoscopes has been launched in Australia and has the potential to be rolled out across the globe, in the near future. This article looks at how the initiative aims to maintain high infection control standards, while reducing operational burdens.
Ensuring a continuous supply of gastrointestinal endoscopes remains a challenge for hospitals worldwide. While reusable flexible endoscopes remain the standard, traditional reprocessing is time-consuming and resource-intensive, presenting operational, regulatory, and environmental challenges.
In Australia, the relevant national standard, AS5369:2023 mandates microbiological testing of loan endoscopes from suppliers within 72 hours of receipt. Although single-use endoscopes eliminate reprocessing concerns, they contribute to significant financial and environmental burden due to excessive plastic and associated waste. To address these challenges, a first-of-its-kind, pre-sterilised, microbiologically tested loan endoscope service provides an innovative alternative to traditional fleet management. This article examines the challenges of current endoscope reprocessing methods, the operational benefits of on-demand sterile endoscope services, and how this model supports infection prevention, regulatory compliance, and sustainability.
There are various challenges in endoscope reprocessing that need to be addressed — from compliance and infection prevention issues, to training constraints, resource limitations, and equipment availability. These are outlined in Table 1.
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