Memorial Sloan Kettering

Company

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. One of the world's premier cancer centers, providing patient care, education and research into cancer.

Problem

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Central Sterile Processing (CSP) department is where all surgical instruments – from scissors and clamps to scopes and forceps – are sterilized, repackaged and prepared for surgical use.

“We were storing instruments on wire shelving and roll-away carts. Until a couple of years ago, our storage methods were cumbersome, and their preset sizes didn’t work for us. We were left with a great deal of unused space and our workstations were not designed for maximum efficiency either.”

– John Meggs, CSP Department Manager

Objective

Memorial Sloan-Kettering initiated a major expansion which included the addition of more operating rooms. At the same time, the hospital increased the size of the CSP department, providing an opportunity to replace the inadequate storage equipment with a completely new storage and workspace system.

Solution

“I visited a nearby hospital that was using storage equipment from LISTA and I liked what I saw. It was the ruggedness, sturdiness and overall quality of the product that made an immediate impression.”

  – John Meggs

Meggs decided to outfit his entire newly expanded 11,100 sq. ft. CSP department with LISTA equipment, including countertop modular drawer cabinets, customized workstations, and the unique Storage Wall® System.

“Due to the modular nature of the LISTA equipment, we were able to exactly meet the unique needs of a CSP department. For example, the drawers which house our very fluid inventory are now organized according to specific item category and are labeled with data cards that completely simplify and expedite the filling of order trays.”

  – John Meggs

The countertop cabinets, with their stainless steel worksurfaces, provide highly functional all-purpose workspace in the sterilized “prep and pack” area. The cabinet drawers are set up with shallow drawers holding smaller, lighter items at the top, and deeper drawers holding heavier items toward the bottom, with overhead cabinets and shelving keeping books, documents and other needed materials within easy reach. 

Workstations handle a variety of applications, from assembling surgical instruments to prepping peel-pouched items. The new workstations have a variety of Nexus System accessories to accommodate the multiple stages of the sterilization and preparation process including vertical power strips, adjustable overhead lighting, and air outlets that are used to clean out the lumens. Each workstation also features a PC attached to an adjustable computer arm accessory.

LISTA’s Storage Wall® system, with its unique custom-configured combination of drawers, shelves, wide-span beams and roll-out trays, houses many of the department’s bulkier items, such as drapes, gowns, surgical instrument sets and back-up instruments. A variety of different drawer heights provide storage for a range of items, from very small items to large surgical kits.

Benefits

The department’s use of its expensive Manhattan space is now optimized. Moreover, the overall look of the Central Sterile Processing department is a source of pride for all department employees.

 “Everything is stored in a logical, user-friendly manner that corresponds with the natural work flow. And the entire inventory is properly labeled and accounted for. There’s a consistent look of quality. The equipment is very attractive which enhances our professional image. I take pride in the fact that our unit is right up there with any other CSP department in the nation.”

– John Meggs

Products