Sentara Healthcare begins planned reprocessing of personal protective equipment

Sentara Healthcare has begun reprocessing certain personal protective equipment (PPE) as a way to sterilize and preserve limited PPE supplies while ensuring the safety of our care teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have studied and tested the process and we are confident it will keep our employees safe and properly protected.

Sterilization and reprocessing is a routine practice in health care. Surgical tools, endoscopy instruments, and other equipment are re-used daily after thorough cleaning and sterilization using standardized methods. This process with PPE takes the practice to the next level.

"We are confident the process we are using will keep our employees safe and extend the life of limited PPE supplies," says Mary Morin, RN, vice president of clinical effectiveness for Sentara Healthcare. "Safety is our first priority for patients and employees and this is one method we can use to achieve that goal during this extraordinary time when we all have to think creatively."

Sentara is reprocessing N-95 respirator masks, surgical masks, and impermeable surgical gowns (not paper). Appropriate items are collected from Sentara hospitals and freestanding emergency departments across our system and sent to a trusted vendor.

Sterilization involves a 7.5 hour hydrogen peroxide vapor sterilization process. This is followed by CDC-approved geobacillus spore testing. Spore tests are the most accepted means of monitoring sterilization.

Infectious disease specialists at Sentara studied CDC guidelines, evaluated other healthcare system reprocessing methods and conducted internal testing of reprocessed materials, and they endorse the use of hydrogen peroxide vapor. Duke, Yale, Emory and Battelle Medicine are currently using this type of sterilization process. It takes about ten days to collect, reprocess and redistribute the appropriate materials across the system.  

Sentara Healthcare is considering every available resource for long-term planning to ensure we have the necessary supplies to continue to provide care to our community.