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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Microsystems is committed to delivering solutions that address the many requirements placed upon today’s sterile processing manager.  From tracking instruments to improving quality to documenting compliance, Microsystems takes a broad approach to the sterile processing function that is critical to the safe, effective, and cost sensitive delivery of healthcare.

Microsystems’ primary products are:

  • Sterile Processing Microsystem® (SPM®)
  • Individual Instrument Tracking Module™ (ITM™)
  • Mobile Equipment Microsystem™ (MEQ™)

The success of a company does not rely solely on the products it offers. Equally important are the implementation services and technical support provided by the company. Microsystems is dedicated to ensuring customer needs are met. We provide comprehensive customer support prior to, during, and after system implementation. Our ability to retain customers and maintain an outstanding level of customer satisfaction has been largely due to the quality of our products and the excellent, one-on-one customer service we provide.

Product Questions

Count Sheets
  1. Can the system establish and maintain proper set configurations and count sheets?
  2. How can SPM® assist technicians in assembling sets?
  3. Can count sheet formats be customized?

Inventory Management
  1. How does SPM® help to manage, streamline and standardize surgical trays and sets?
  2. Are digital images and pictures of sets and instruments available?
  3. How are repairs, missing instruments and replacements tracked?
  4. How does SPM® track loaner trays?
  5. Does SPM® flag expedites, preventive maintenance, and special instructions audibly and with on-screen messaging?
  6. How does SPM® help to reduce instrument and tray inventory costs?

Marking Individual Instruments
  1. Does SPM® allow for tracking at the individual instrument level?
  2. What type of marks can be used for tracking individual instruments?
  3. How fast does each marking method scan?

Quality Assurance
  1. Is the system set-up, implementation and use consistent with policies, procedures, standards and recommended practice?
  2. How does SPM® document sterilization load records and can documents be printed and/or stored electronically?
  3. How does SPM® record incidence of flash sterilization of instrument sets?
  4. Is there an automatic alert for instrument set and sterilizer incompatibility?
  5. Is there an automatic alert for loads requiring biological monitoring?
  6. Does SPM® track all items in quarantine pending outcome of the biological monitor?
  7. Is there an automatic alert for items scanned for delivery but not scanned for sterilization?
  8. Does SPM® have the ability to assist in basic audit trails?

Staff & Productivity
  1. How can SPM® serve as a skill assessment tool?
  2. How can SPM® manage workflow?
  3. Are there customized labor standards for each individual task performed?
  4. Is a team member credited for each and every individual task performed?
  5. Is staff productivity measurable and easily quantifiable by shift and individual employee?

Multi-Site Database Functionality
  1. How does Microsystems handle multiple sites?

Reporting
  1. What types of standard reports are included?
  2. What about custom reports?
  3. Are the reports exportable to other programs (i.e. Excel, Crystal)?

Integration
  1. HL7 and Flat File Interface Capabilities
  2. Surgery Scheduling Interface
  3. ADT Interface
  4. Sterilizer Interface

Pricing
  1. Will the hospital own or lease the product?

Support Questions

Technical
  1. What are the storage requirements for SPM®?
  2. Is the customer required to purchase the computer and bar code hardware from Microsystems?
  3. How is remote support provided?
  4. What is the installation procedure?
  5. Can SPM® be operated with a touch-screen monitor?
  6. What operating systems is SPM® compliant with?
  7. What application development language is SPM® programmed with?
  8. What database engine is utilized?
  9. What report writing software is utilized?
  10. Are there multiple security levels to ensure appropriate access and system integrity?

Implementation
  1. Where will the implementation take place?
  2. Who will conduct the implementation?
  3. How long does the implementation take?
  4. What is Microsystems' implementation philosophy?
  5. How many implementations have been completed?
  6. What services are provided in an implementation?
  7. Who is responsible for building our database?

Maintenance
  1. What service packages are available under the SPM® maintenance agreements?
  2. What services are covered in the SPM® Annual Technical Support & Upgrade Service?
  3. Annual Microsystems Customer Education Program

Product Questions

Count Sheets

  1. Can the system establish and maintain proper set configurations and count sheets?

    Microsystems’ Data Specialists will build the customer's count sheet database in SPM®, ensuring a high level of accuracy and consistency. After the database has been built, Microsystems will provide training on how to maintain the data. Microsystems will provide training on database maintenance and a Count Sheet Competencies Manual explains all of the features available to help the customer maintain the tray content lists.

  2. How can SPM® assist technicians in assembling sets?

    The following are the options for assembling sets with SPM®:

    • SPM® can print a count sheet that the technician can use to assemble the set at his workstation, without requiring a computer at each workstation
    • SPM® can display the set's contents on the computer screen so that the technician can build the set by clicking off items (with a mouse or with a touch screen) as they are placed into the set
    • With the Individual Instrument Tracking Module (ITM), the technician can scan the individual items as they are placed into a set. Certain items in the set can be identified as ones that require scanning and others can be clicked off with a mouse or via touch screen

  3. Can count sheet formats be customized?

    Yes, the count sheet format is customized to the specifications of the facility.


Inventory Management

  1. How does SPM® help to manage, streamline and standardize surgical trays and sets?

    The ability to uniquely identify (index) individual trays enables SPM® to track utilization rates of each individual tray. Based on average and peak demand the inventory levels can be right-sized, extra sets can be broken down and instruments re-allocated, or additional instrument purchases can be quantifiably justified. The ability to document used and unused instruments allows for the contents of sets to be fully justified. Excess items can be removed. Shrinking the size of sets reduces instrument inventory and also reduces the time required to process the sets and reduces the weight of sets.

  2. Are digital images and pictures of sets and instruments available?

    Images of instruments and trays are available for viewing by the technician. Microsystems provides a library of instrument images and the customer can supplement this library with its own pictures.

  3. How are repairs, missing instruments and replacements tracked?

    SPM® maintains records of trays or instruments out for repair and records of the trays that are missing instruments (so that when the repaired item comes back, the customer will know which copy of the set the item goes into). With SPM®, trays can be scanned out for repair, and with ITM, a specific individual instrument can be scanned out for repair. The trays or instruments can be scanned as they leave the department to indicate the date and time that they left. SPM®'s Set Repair reports show a history of items sent out for repair. A label can also be printed and affixed to the wrap or container to show which instruments are missing from a tray.

    Furthermore, by tracking back to the case on which sets with missing instruments were last used, the surgical team responsible for the losses can be identified and positive actions can be taken to reduce the cost of instrument repairs and replacements.

  4. How does SPM® track loaner trays?

    With the assistance of a broad-based customer focus group, Microsystems has developed a loaner module that assigns a unique bar code to each loaner tray when it is received in the department.  The location, status and sterilization method and compatibility information of each loaner tray is available in SPM®. Loaners can be tracked from Decontam to Prep/Pack to Sterilization to OR to case number, if desired. Each label provides the description of the tray, surgeon name, date and time of surgery, and any comments relevant to that procedure. Reports on vendor service, usage of loaners, etc. are available.

  5. Does SPM® flag expedites, preventive maintenance, and special instructions audibly and with on-screen messaging?

    Audio and visual set messages alert SPD staff to special cleaning requirements, assembly instructions, sterilization incompatibilities, and expediting needs. In addition, audio and visual messages inform technicians when items are due for preventive maintenance. These alerts can be set up to occur at any scan throughout the processing cycle.

  6. How does SPM® help to reduce instrument and tray inventory costs?

    Facilities can better manage inventory levels and costs for instruments by utilizing SPM®'s set usage and related set reports. These reports provide objective data to justify purchases of additional instruments if needed, and also to identify sets whose inventories are too high, in which case the excess copies of the sets can be broken down and the instruments used as replacements for other sets.


Marking Individual Instruments

  1. Does SPM® allow for tracking at the individual instrument level?

    The base SPM® product provides for tracking at the tray level. Microsystems offers a separate module, called Individual Instrument Tracking Module (ITM), designed specifically to address the needs of facilities that want to track at the individual instrument level.

  2. What type of marks can be used for tracking individual instruments?

    Microsystems recognizes three different methods of marking individual instruments: a 2D label (KeyDot) can be affixed to the instrument; a 2D mark can be applied to instruments using a medium and a low-power laser (TherMark); or a permanent Direct Parts Mark (DPM) can be applied directly to the device surface using a high powered laser. The DPM method has been acknowledged as safe and effective by the FDA, is the method device manufacturers use for their products, and is the only method of the three validated for use on implantable items. Any one of the three methods can be used with ITM. It is us up to the customer as to how they wish to deploy the ITM module and which marking method or methods they wish to use.

  3. How fast does each marking method scan?

    The recommended scanner can read and transfer the information in less than 0.5 seconds.


Quality Assurance

  1. Is the system set-up, implementation and use consistent with policies, procedures, standards and recommended practice?

    Microsystems’ system set-up, implementation and use are consistent with policies, procedures, standards and recommended practices set forth by AORN, AAMI and JCAHO.

  2. How does SPM® document sterilization load records and can documents be printed and/or stored electronically?

    A sterilizer load is recorded in SPM® by the technician after the cart, basket, or carriage containing the items to be sterilized is fully loaded and ready to be placed into the sterilizer. The technician scans his/her own bar code to identify who is responsible for the load, scans the sterilizer to be used, and then scans all of the sets on the cart, basket, or carriage going into the sterilizer. After all items have been scanned, the technician indicates that the load is complete. The technician then reviews the electronic record of the load to make sure that it is accurate. The load is then placed into the sterilizer and the cycle is started. At this point the technician goes back to the computer to indicate that the load is closed. The load record is stored electronically--it can be printed, if desired, but it can be retrieved electronically at any time in the future. Sterilizer load records are stored permanently in the SPM® database.

  3. How does SPM® record incidence of flash sterilization of instrument sets?

    Flash loads can be scanned in the OR in the same manner as loads are scanned in SPD. Alternately, sets that will be flashed in the OR can be scanned in SPD before they are sent to the OR for flashing. SPM® reports can be run to show how many times each type of set was sent to the OR to be flashed.

  4. Is there an automatic alert for instrument set and sterilizer incompatibility?

    Yes, if an item requiring low temperature sterilization is scanned into a steam load, SPM® alerts the technician so that the item can be removed from the load before it is damaged. The same alert will display if an item that should be steam sterilized is scanned into a low temperature sterilizer. Of course, if an item can be sterilized in either steam or low temperature sterilizers, then no alert will be displayed for the item regardless of the sterilizer it is scanned into.

  5. Is there an automatic alert for loads requiring biological monitoring?

    Yes, if a biological is required with the load.

  6. Does SPM® track all items in quarantine pending outcome of the biological monitor?

    SPM® offers a means of reinforing the quarantine process by issuing an alert if delivery of a quarantined item is attempted before the results of the associated biological test is read and recorded in SPM®. If a set does need to be delivered prior to the outcome of the BI, a manager must authorize it. The authorization detail (manager name, date and time of authorization) is stored within SPM®.

  7. Is there an automatic alert for items scanned for delivery but not scanned for sterilization?

    SPM® will display a visual and audio alert if a set is scanned for delivery before being scanned for sterilization.

  8. Does SPM® have the ability to assist in basic audit trails?

    SPM® will maintain audit trails for critical functions, for example, changes to count sheets and changes to an existing sterilizer load. In addition, SPM® records the employee scanning each set at each processing step, facilitating accountability for work done.


Staff & Productivity

  1. How can SPM® serve as a skill assessment tool?

    Employee skills can be assessed via productivity reports (which compare the amount of work accomplished by each employee with the hours worked by that employee) and via quality assurance reports (which compare the number of errors made by each employee to the total quantity of tasks performed by that employee). In addition, records can be maintained for in-services attended by each employee and/or competencies passed by each employee.

  2. How can SPM® manage workflow?

    Work accomplished by shift and by hour of the day can be calculated to help schedule staff to match the work load. In addition, SPM® reports can tally the number of sets currently scanned to each work area in the department to identify backlogs in the processing cycle. A Set Processing Time report calculates the average time between each processing step during a specified time period, enabling the manager to determine general bottleneck problems in the processing flow.

  3. Are there customized labor standards for each individual task performed?

    SPM®’s productivity module is based on a complete set of tasks that define the work done by the staff and associated labor standards for each task. Customers often choose to develop their own customized labor standards during the “Timing Phase” of our implementation process. During the Timing Phase, employees time themselves on decontaminating sets, assembling sets, and on other tasks performed by the staff. Once the Timing Phase is complete, we help you develop labor standards for each task. From that point on, the staff simply scans their work, and credit is given based on the labor standards.

  4. Is a team member credited for each and every individual task performed?

    Yes, as employees perform tasks, they scan to indicate the tasks accomplished. When a task is scanned, the employee is credited for the number of minutes of work associated with that task. Thus, an employee working an 8 hour shift will scan the work he or she performs during those 8 hours, and as credit is given, the productivity is calculated. For example, if an employee scans 6 hours of work in the day, the productivity for the day will be 75%.

  5. Is staff productivity measurable and easily quantifiable by shift and individual employee?

    Productivity can be looked at by shift to help determine appropriate shift-workload balance, by employee to help determine whether an employee might need additional training or support, and by department to help justify additional staffing for new responsibilities.


Multi-Site Database Functionality

  1. How does Microsystems handle multiple sites?

    For systems where multiple facilities are involved, Microsystems’ multi-site functionality is extremely important. With this capability, a single database supports all facilities, yet each facility is able to see its own data and function as an entity on its own. Designated “super users” would be able to view data from all sites and utilize reports for system-wide or facility-specific decision-making. In addition, trays can be shared, employees can rotate among facilities, and images or Power Points developed for any one facility are readily accessible by any other facility if desired.


Reporting

  1. What types of standard reports are included?

    Over 200 standard reports are available. Many of these reports have been developed in the areas of instrument, equipment and set tracking, productivity, quality assurance and general management. Real-time reports provide managers with data for making informed, objective business decisions that affect overall department effectiveness and operational efficiencies. Examples of reports that validate processes are:
    -Set assembly accuracy reports that can be based on reactive information (complaints from users) or proactive information (random inspections of work prior to its leaving the department).
    -Set Processing Time which shows statistics on the amount of time that the department requires to process a set between any two points in the processing cycle
    -Sterilizer Summary Reports that show the total cycles run, total items sterilized, total biologicals run and total positive biological tests.
    -Sets Due for PM shows sets that are due for preventive maintenance based on actual set usage compared with its specified number of uses between PMs.

  2. What about custom reports?

    In addition to the standard reports, custom queries and reports can be written by the customer using the MS Access report writer—Microsystems will help the customer develop queries and reports, as needed.

  3. Are the reports exportable to other programs (i.e. Excel, Crystal)?

    Reports can be printed, e-mailed and/or exported to other programs such as Excel and Crystal. Our application uses MS Access as its report writer.


Integration

  1. HL7 and Flat File Interface Capabilities

    We support an open systems approach, as we see much potential benefit from maintaining consistent data throughout the organization. We offer both HL7 compliant and flat file interfaces.

  2. Surgery Scheduling Interface

    Microsystems has developed surgery scheduling interfaces with some of the leading surgery software vendors. There are a number of communication and operational benefits from connecting surgery scheduling systems with SPM®.  Included in specs to date are considerations of total inventory, actual inventory (accounting for items out for repair, for example) and assistance with automated expedite messages for Sterile Processing to prioritize work based on end-user or service need.

  3. ADT Interface

    Microsystems offers a standard interface between its mobile patient equipment tracking system (MEQ) and ADT/Billing systems. With the interface and our Dolphin mobile computer, mobile patient equipment can be tracked to the patient, enabling efficient turnaround and, if applicable, accurate charges.

  4. Sterilizer Interface

    Microsystems is developing interfaces with two prominent sterilization equipment providers.


Pricing

  1. Will the hospital own or lease the product?

    Microsystems' customers own their database and a perpetual license to use the SPM® software.


Support Questions

Technical

  1. What are the storage requirements for SPM®?

    We customize storage requirements based on the system components required by the customer and on other aspects of anticipated customer use of the system. For a standard implementation of SPM®, we recommend 200 GB of usable hard disk space.

  2. Is the customer required to purchase the computer and bar code hardware from Microsystems?

    No, the customer is free to buy all hardware from their own suppliers. However, we do encourage our customers to purchase the bar code hardware (scanners and bar code printers) that we recommend for use with our system.

  3. How is remote support provided?

    Typically, we will provide remote technical support via high-speed internet and/or remote desktop connection. The decision regarding the type of remote support made available to us is totally up to the customer.

  4. What is the installation procedure?

    Microsystems installs the SPM® application is installed on the customer's server and tests the application and/or provides a test environment for the customer to make sure that it is working correctly. When it has been completely tested, the program is pushed out to the local workstations. Upgrades and patches are handled in the same manner, installed and tested first on the server (or on a separate test server), and then pushed out to the workstations.

  5. Can SPM® be operated with a touch-screen monitor?

    Yes. Our customers choose whether or not they wish to operate using touch-screen monitors.

  6. What operating systems is SPM® compliant with?

    Microsoft Windows 2003 Server and Microsoft Windows 2008 Server with latest service pack on the server; Microsoft Windows XP Professional on the workstations.

  7. What application development language is SPM® programmed with?

    The front-end application is programmed using Microsoft Access. The back-end is Microsoft SQL Server 2000, 2005, or 2008 and some programming (stored procedures) is done within SQL Server.

  8. What database engine is utilized?

    The database engine is Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Microsoft SQL Server 2005, or Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Microsoft SQL Server is a robust database engine that can support virtually unlimited simultaneous users. It maintains a transaction log which permits reconstruction of the database from the last backup in case of corruption of the database.

  9. What report writing software is utilized?

    MS Access. Third party report writers that can access SQL data are also compatible.

  10. Are there multiple security levels to ensure appropriate access and system integrity?

    SPM® has a security system whereby all staff members receive the basic permissions required for working in the department. Special security is required for functions such as modifying count sheets contents. The manager assigns security levels to employees based on the employee's role in the department.


Implementation

  1. Where will the implementation take place?

    Microsystems primarily conducts implementation and training services on site. Web-based training is also provided in specific situations to supplement the on-site implementation and training services. The database build is completed remotely and then loaded onto the customer's server.

  2. Who will conduct the implementation?

    Microsystems' Implementation Team will conduct the implementation. In addition, a Data Specialist will provide web-based training on database maintenance.

  3. How long does the implementation take?

    Microsystems' Implementation Team will come on-site for a specific number of days (depending on the size and complexity of the implementation). We typically spend 6 to 20 days on-site for implementation, and the days are spread out over two or more visits. During each visit, there will be general staff in-services, followed by one-on-one instruction. In addition, there are several hours of instruction for the managers and lead employees during each site visit. Typically, an implementation takes three months from start to finish.

  4. What is Microsystems' implementation philosophy?

    Our implementation philosophy is that educating and training the end users of our systems directly and one-on-one produces optimal results. We also incorporate a “train the trainer” approach as appropriate, but our goal remains to ensure that by the end of an implementation, each and every technician understands how SPM® helps them perform their job better and easier, and how SPM® makes the department run more efficiently.

  5. How many implementations have been completed?

    We have completed well over 200 installations of our software applications and have many more installations in progress.

  6. What services are provided in an implementation?

    Microsystems tailors each implementation to meet customers’ individual needs. We provide:

    • Step-by-step, detailed instruction manuals on how to prepare for an implementation
    • On-site implementation of software products at customer’s facility
    • Extensive one-on-one training with each customer’s employees to ensure competency

  7. Who is responsible for building our database?

    Microsystems’ Data Specialists will enter the customer’s tray, including complete details (name, service, etc.) and contents into SPM®, ensuring a high level of accuracy and consistency. After the database has been built, Microsystems will provide training on how to maintain the data.


Maintenance

  1. What service packages are available under the SPM® maintenance agreements?

    Once a year Microsystems provides on-site support and product upgrades to customers who subscribe to the SPM® Annual Technical Support and Upgrade Service. During the site visit, the function of the system in the department is reviewed, and all new features that have been added to the system are demonstrated.

  2. What services are covered in the SPM® Annual Technical Support & Upgrade Service?

    • 24/7 technical support by phone
    • Remote support, via high-speed internet and/or remote desktop connection
    • One SPM® Software upgrade
    • Access to password-protected Customer Website
    • One site visit to review progress and plan new uses of SPM® to generate savings.

  3. Annual Microsystems Customer Education Program

    Annually we host a Customer Education Program that offers our customers an opportunity to earn CE credits while learning more about SPM® and sharing experiences and ideas with other SPM® users. The agenda includes presentations on product capabilities and enhancements, hands-on workshops with our programmers and implementation staff, brainstorming sessions to discuss cutting edge technology and software enhancements, and presentations by customers on ways they have addressed issues within their facilities through SPM®.