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How Andrea can help:
· Sterilization review, design and implementation
·OSHA training, reviews and manuals
-Schedule templates and procedure efficiency
· Basic and advanced chairside duties
· Clinical training system and manual
· Indirect bonding
· Clinical coordinator
· Verbal skills to encourage compliance
· Reduction of emergency visits
· Personalized clinical manual
· Inventory control
· Instrument set ups and organization in the operatory
· Implementation of your treatment plans
· Reduction of patients beyond estimated completion date
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On the web
at AndreaCookConsulting.com
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It's now time to say goodbye to another decade. We enter the new
 decade with great anticipation of things becoming better. This New Year and new decade creates an atmosphere of renewal for all of us. Regardless of what mistakes have been made in the past year or what projects might remain unfinished; the New Year provides an opportunity to make things better.
As with all beginnings, however, getting started can be the most challenging step. Life coaches will tell you the first step to living your dream is to dream it in the first place. This applies to short-term goals, too. Once you visualize them, you can begin to implement strategies to achieve them.
Strive to have a better understanding of yourself this year. The most important person in your life is you! The only person that can change you is you! So, work on yourself this year and at the end of the year look back and see all the changes you have made.
The year 2020 will be a leap year. Use it as a springboard to leap ahead when it comes to your own goals and dreams.
Wishing you all a year full of accomplishments.
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A Clean Start To The New Year
A re
cent inspection at a local dental office has prompted me to remind all orthodontic offices to make sure you follow the current CDC and OSHA regulations. A financial penalty is challenging the reputation damage this news release causes can be irreparable.
The inspection was performed in response to a complaint, and it identified multiple infection control problems, including the cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and storage of reprocessed instruments. Some of the failures included:
- No spore test since January 4, 1998
- No ultrasonic cleaner log
- Expired ultrasonic and cold sterilization solutions
- Instrument stored in designated sterile areas were placed loosely in an open tray containing dust, debris, and other such items.
- No hospital grade surface disinfectant was available to clean the operatory between patients
- Did not have any written infection control policies and procedures
- Did not have a written blood-borne pathogen exposure control plan or training records
The Washington State Department of Health provided me with their list of most common CDC violations found during an inspection;
- Improper management and disposal of biohazardous waste materials
- Improper biological monitoring of sterilizer(s)
- Improper disposal of sharp implements
- Improper hand hygiene
- Lack of appropriate personal protective equipment
- Lack of written exposure control plan
- Lack of written protocol for instrument processing and sterilization
- Lack of verification of office staff vaccination for Hepatitis B vaccine
- Inability to verify sterilization of dental instruments
- Improper storage of dental instruments
- Improper flushing of dental water line
- Repeated use of single use disposables
- Cross contamination in the operatory, sterilization area and/or dental laboratory
- Improper operatory disinfection
- Failure to properly sterilize dental handpieces
- Failure to use heavy utility gloves while handling contaminated instruments in sterilization area
- Failure to separate sterile from non-sterile areas in sterilization area
- Co-mingling of dental materials and food in refrigerator
- Failure to maintain updated Safety Data Sheets
You can find an
OSHA and CDC compliance checklist on my
website that you can fill out to evaluate your current level of compliance and identify areas of lapses. Use these to ensure your office has appropriate infection prevention policies and practices in place, including appropriate training and education to provide safe care and a safe working environment.
So, if your office is not abiding by these requirements, the time is NOW! The new year
is a great time for offices to review their safety programs, update employee training and implement procedure updates to ensure standard enforcement.
Together we can improve your sterilization efficiency and compliance with current CDC guidelines and OSHA protocols. Please contact me to schedule your in-office consultation.
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Spring meeting time is upon us. I hope you and your teams are able to take advantage of the information at these meetings. The financial impact when sending a team to these meetings is great, but now is the time to evaluate your systems, gather information and implementing changes.
I hope to see you at one of the following meetings that I will be attending and speaking at this spring:
It's NOT my Job ~ Building a Proactive Team
How to Communicate More Effectively
It's All About Timing ~ How to Keep Your Clinic on Time
From my Side of the Chair ~ What's new in sterilization and instrument reprocessing
WSSO meeting - February 14, Bellevue, WA
Orthodontic Excellence - Developing a Patient Centered
Practice
It's All About Timing - How to Keep Your Clinic on Time
Customer Service VS. Customer EXPERIENCE
Reducing Emergencies and Finishing Treatment on Time
AAO - May 1 - 4, Atlanta, GA
Reducing Emergencies and Finishing Treatment on Time
There are some great lectures for your team at these meetings and many of the vendors offer special savings during. With today's economy, I urge you all to take advantage of these promotions.
Here is to "developing your clinical excellence" in 2019!
Thank you for your continued support of my clinical newsletter. I hope you and your team find the information useful. Please visit my website and feel free to email me with any comments or questions.
Andrea Cook
Andrea Cook LLC
Sincerely,
Andrea
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