Raising the standard of infection control and patient care ... one published paper at a time.  Myendosite.com - the Home of the Q-Net Monthly.

1. Just in:  A published article about biofilms.
2. And, my 20-page review of this published article about biofilms: Part 1  Part 2  Part 3 
3. Q-Net's Position Statements

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4. Just in:  A video discussing the VA mishap in Tennessee.  NBC-WSMV (6-16-09). 
5. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General:  “Use and reprocessing of flexible fiber-optic endoscopes at VA medical facilities."  06-16-09.
6. Also just in:  Q-Net's annual quiz (2009)

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7. Breaking News: VA facilities lack colonoscopy safety CNN 6-16-09
8. Also:  VA doc: Other possible equipment errors reported. AP 5-16-09
9. Doctor:  HIV infections will never be traced to VA. Fox News 5-9-09

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10. Video showing the type of "valve" that were improperly used in TN. NBC-WSMV
11. This video's accompanying news article. NBC - WSMV (1-8-09)
12. 2nd video discussing this valve and reprocessing mishap. NBC-WSMV (6-16-09). 
13. This 2nd video's accompanying news article.  NBC-WSMV (6-16-09).

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14. Miami VA tests find 7 cases of hepatitis C, 1 HIV. Miami Herald 4-17-09
15. VA patient treated with unsterilized equipment tests positive for HIV.  4-7-09
16. Miami VA hospital flooded with calls about HIV.  Miami Herald 3-24-09.
17. Veterans face HIV risk from hospital pumps.  Miami Herald 3-23-09.

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18. Q-Net:  Endoscope Damage, Part 1
19. Q-Net:  Endoscope Damage, Part 2
20. Q-Net:  A review of an evaluation of the STERIS Reliance EPS

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21. VA breaches (continued):  VA Denies Hepatitis Results. At Least 6 Colonoscopy Patients Test Positive. 3-11-09
22. VA Offers Tennessee Valley Patients Free Screening. (2-9-09)
23. Thousands Of Colonoscopy Patients At Risk WSMV-TV (2-9-09)
24. VA Offers Tennessee Valley Patients Free Screening. (2-9-09)
25. VA Safety Alert:  Improper reprocessing of flexible endoscope tubing. 12-22-08.
26. Olympus Important Safety Notice regarding this VA incident.  <Click here>
27. "Root cause" of reprocessing breach at the VA in TN? 1-20-09 

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28. STERIS Letter:  STERIS to discontinue sales of the SYSTEM 1.  (1-20-09)
29. AGA Institute. Steris to discontinue new sales of System 1 Processor.
30. STERIS System 1 FDA Warning letter (May 15, 2008)
31. Company statement: PRNewswire-FirstCall
32. An anthology of the Steris System 1

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33. My most recent article about the Steris System 1 (April 2008).
34. Other articles, quotes, perspectives about the STERIS System 1: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11  12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20  21 22 23 24 25

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35. Review:  The CDC's "Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008."  <>  Click here to download my review in 2002 of a draft of this guideline.  

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36. Also New:   "Sterile" filtered rinse water?"  <>  Do biofilms pose an infection risk in GI endoscopy?   Also:   BIs to monitor rinse water? (Part 2)  <>  Biological Indicators (BIs) (Part 1)  <>  Q-Net's Annual quiz (2008)  <>  MMDI's "100 Notable People" 

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Welcome to the new MyEndoSite.com - the home of The Q-Net^TM Monthly newsletter.  ... Your interactive and comprehensive infection control site.

MyEndoSite is committed to publishing information, including The Q-Net^TM Monthly - downloadable newsletters that focus on infection control and the prevention of healthcare-acquired infections and disease transmission during endoscopic, both flexible and rigid, and other types of surgical (invasive) and non-invasive medical procedures.

MyEndoSite also provides information that encourages patient safety and the safe and efficient practice of, among other disciplines, endoscope and instrument reprocessing; aseptic technique and other operating room practices; central sterile processing; materiels management; risk management; medical, ethical, and legal affairs; and hospital and surgicenter administration. MyEndoSite is uniquely sensitive to the needs and expectations of the patient. 

Each month this website is visited and read by thousands of healthcare practitioners. This website (MyEndoSite), its newsletters (The Q-Net^TM Monthly), and all of its content are offered free to the public.  Subscribe today using this <Subscribe to this website's newsletter> link.

MyEndoSite.com is the home and website of Q-Net™, providing access to its educational and "required reading" newsletter, "The Q-Net™ Monthly," <Click here> for more about Q-Net.

• Important media reports that discuss instrument reprocessing mishaps. 
• Discussions of recent nosocomial outbreak investigations.

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• Recent FDA Public Health Advisories, device recalls and safety alerts.
• Descriptions of how to reprocess different instruments.

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• Links to important medical articles and other important educational material 
• Links to methods for sampling endoscopes, automated reprocessors, water

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• Links to (and reviews of) published infection-control and instrument-reprocessing guidelines, FDA guidance documents, and CDC recommendations
• Discussions of aseptic technique and operating room procedures 

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• Perspectives, editorials, reviews, and position statements 
• Surveys that provide insight into changing trends and current practice 

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• Quizzes that may be used for accredidation and CE units
• Much, much more ... 

Each of the articles published in this newsletter and available through this website were written by this website's and newsletter's founder, Lawrence F. Muscarella Ph.D.

All of this website's published articles can be conveniently emailed to a colleague. Just visit the "Seach Q-Net by Topic" link and activate the "envelope" next to the article.

Participation, comments, and suggestions by the public are important to ensure that MyEndoSite(TM) is the most comprehensive, accurate, up-to-date, and unique website in these healthcare fields. Contact this website's moderator by <clicking here> to have additional information added to this site. Also refer to the <Feedback> and <Contact Us> links. 

All articles published in The Q-Net™ Monthly (unless stated otherwise) are written by:

Lawrence F Muscarella, Ph.D. 
Editor-in-Chief, The Q-Net Monthly
Chief, Infection Control
Director, Research and Development
Founder, Myendosite(TM): www.myendosite.com

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