NMCSD Opens New SPD

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

11.14.2019

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacob L. Greenberg 

Naval Medical Center San Diego

SAN DIEGO – Naval Medical Center San Diego’s (NMCSD) sterile processing department (SPD) opened its doors after a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 14.
SPD’s new facility houses and utilizes ultramodern sterilization machines to ensure NMCSD’s surgical equipment functions in its highest capacity under the most stringent cleanliness guidelines.
"This truly is a state-of-the-art facility," said Capt. Bradford Smith, NMCSD's commanding officer. "With this new facility, we continue to ensure that we give outstanding care to our patients as well as provide our staff with the best tools available to do the critical work they do each and every day."
SPD can sometimes be an overlooked department in any large hospital, but almost every department is affected.
“If a department uses a tool or equipment, SPD will handle it before and after it comes in contact with a patient,” said Lt. Cmdr. Keith Freeman, NMCSD’s SPD divisional officer. “All of NMCSD’s branch health and dental facilities’ equipment, as well as some surgical tools that come from ships stationed in San Diego, must be cleaned and sterilized in our facility. Our capabilities and our scope are truly remarkable.”
Freeman said that SPD houses approximately 2,500 surgical trays that support NMCSD’s operating rooms, included labor and delivery rooms.
“Every time a tool is used, it has to be processed here,” said Freeman.
In addition to new, high-tech equipment, SPD touts additions to work centers that optimize workflow and reduce fatigue on the Sailors that work there.
“Our new sterilization sinks are height-adjustable,” said Lt. Adam Slankard, an SPD supervisor and perioperative nurse assigned to NMCSD. “If a technician is tall, bending over a sink, meticulously cleaning and sterilizing equipment can be draining. These sinks are motorized to move up and down, so a Sailor doesn’t have to hunch as much as they would have in the past. Our new autoclaves are almost completely automated. ”
The new facility’s inception began approximately six years ago, and ground broke approximately two years ago.
“In total, $27 million was spent to renovate and build the new SPD,” said Megan Walsh, NMCSD’s directorate for surgical services supply systems analyst supervisor. “Of that [$27 million], $13 million was spent on construction, $2 million on additional equipment, $8 million on temporary trailers, and $4 million on off-site sterile processing services.”
SPD spent two years in temporary trailers while the facility was renovated.
Funding for NMCSD’s SPD came from a variety of sources across the Navy.
“This project was a true testament of a multidisciplinary approach,” said Walsh. “NMCSD’s SPD, facilities department, infection control, directorate for resource management, information technology, patient safety, acquisitions, property accounts, biomedical repair, DSS’ logistics, and the warehouse engaged in this project to make it a success.”
This facility is scheduled to begin sterilization operations Dec. 2.
NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.
Visit navy.mil/local/sd/ or facebook.com/NMCSD for more information.

• Date Taken: 11.14.2019
• Date Posted: 11.19.2019 19:09
• Story ID: 352441
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US