With budgets becoming tighter for endoscopy units, coupled with ever changing and more stringent harmonised standards and guidelines for decontamination of endoscopes, hospitals are looking for innovative ways to provide a ‘best value for money’ reprocessing service that satisfies both their budget and the drive for compliant departments.
Many hospitals in the UK have turned to Getinge Lancer to provide these solutions because, as a leading supplier of ‘complete solutions’ for decontamination, the company has also been at the forefront of innovation. Getinge Lancer was the first to introduce a pass through AER to satisfy clean dirty separation and, more recently, was the first to introduce drying and storage cabinets for endoscopes with a prolonged shelf life. Following on from being the first to introduce prolonged storage, it was then identified that there was a risk of contamination or damage to the reprocessed scope in transit from the reprocessing area to the procedure rooms. While there were systems in place to transport these scopes, none provided a safe and protected environment for the scope and there was no evidence as to whether the scope had been tampered with during transportation. With this in mind, Getinge Lancer set out to provide an innovative, cost-effective solution to this problem. From this mandate, it launched the patented Vac-a-Scope system in 2011 which satisfied all the requirements for prolonged storage of endoscopes – ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ – by protecting the scope from airborne contaminants, securely holding the scope in place to eliminate transport damage and providing tamper-proof evidence through the unique vacuum packing bags.
What is Vac-a-Scope?
The Vac-a-Scope™ system is a userfriendly, bench top endoscope vacuum packing system that prolongs the aseptic storage and protective transportation of endoscopes for up to six hours for wet scopes or 30 days for pre-dried scopes. It is easy to use, with minimal training required. The controls of the Vac-a-Scope are simple to understand and are safe and easy to use. Users select a program and let the machine do the rest. The machine pulls the correct vacuum, triple seals the bag and ends the cycle automatically.
Vac-a-Scope cycle
On completion of a successful and compliant cycle, the reprocessed endoscope can either be taken from the Automated Endoscope Reprocessor (AER) and placed in the drying cabinet and then into the Vac-a-Scope or taken straight from the AER and placed in the Vac-a-Scope system. The scope is laid onto a simple supporting tray then placed inside the Vac-a-Scope bag. The scope is recorded with a scanner, as well as the operator, and the bag is then placed into the Vac-a-Scope and the lid is shut down. One button is pressed and the vacuum is drawn automatically – pulling the correct vacuum and triple sealing the bag. The integral, independent monitor and printer produces an adhesive label with all the compliant Track and Trace information, which is attached to the bag. The endoscope is then available for up to 30 days and ready for safe and secure transportation within the hospital departments.
Protected transportation
Getinge Lancer also provides a sealed transit case, in the event that the scope needs to be transported between local hospitals, or nationally, which can also be used in conjunction with the lockable trolley system. The transit case is impactresistant and benefits from a green tag system that shows the scope is decontaminated. This seal remains intact as long as the case is unopened, providing tamper-proof evidence.
Simplicity is best
There are no complex and time consuming connections to be made; there are no chemicals or other consumables to consider – just the bag. The whole process takes less than a minute from laying the scope on the tray until you have a vacuum packed scope. The Vac-a-Scope is also cost effective – both the main unit and the transportation bags cost significantly less than other systems that make similar claims.
Tried and tested system
Vac-a-Scope has been extensively tried and tested in conjunction with leading endoscope manufacturers, with over 30 hospitals now actively using and enjoying the benefits that Vac-a-Scope has to offer. Two hospitals, in particular, have also had the complete process externally audited and have CE marking accreditation to allow them to commercially process and transport scopes for any other hospital site in the UK, using the system which is unique to Getinge Lancer.
Full independent testing
Getinge Lancer has worked closely with 20/30 Labs, an independent laboratory that has ISO 13485 accreditation for testing medical devices. A complete validated report for Vac-a-Scope is available on request.
Innovation
In keeping with Getinge Lancer’s history of innovation, the Vac-a-Scope system has undergone further development, with some major improvements to its functionality over the years. The new Vac-a-Scope will be available from June this year and will be on show at the BSG conference and exhibition in Glasgow from the 24-27 June. Some of the improvements include changes to the dimensions of the system, which is now wider but less deep – making it more suitable for desk-top use and enabling larger bags (for EUS scopes etc) to be inserted more easily. A magnetic locking system means that users do not need to clamp the Vac-a-Scope down, which makes the whole operation quicker. Larger vacuum pumps have been added to increase speed of vacuum to be drawn, while improving Vac-a-Scope reliability. In conclusion, the benefits of the Vac-a-Scope include:
• Prolonged storage – a scope can be stored for up to 30 days, ensuring the scope is ready to use when required.
• Easy access – Scopes can be opened from the bag in a procedure room, just simply tear across the strip.
• Protected scope – During transportation the whole scope, including the distal tip, are held securely with no movement, meaning less repair costs and service charges.
• Tamper proof – No access can be made to the scope after vacuum packing; if the integrity of the bag is compromised it immediately inflates, providing a physical indicator.
• Kind to scopes – No additional chemicals are needed for this process which leads to less damage and prolonged scope life.
• Quick and easy to use – Simple operation, through the touch of a single button, reduces user errors, while a fast turnaround of less than one minute per scope is achieved.
• Cost effective – Vac-a-Scope and the bags are a fraction of the cost of other systems which helps with all the cost pressures placed on busy endoscopy units.
• Tried and tested – The Vac-a-Scope has been used successfully for two years, so is fully proven. It has undergone and passed independent auditing and validation – giving operators peace of mind.
• Patented process – The vacuum packing process is patented to Getinge Lancer.
Getinge Lancer support
As one of the largest infection control companies in the UK, Getinge Lancer offers the benefits of full quality assurance; a large service and support team with over 100 personnel, and its unique Getinge Academy which provides independent City and Guilds accredited education to the decontamination sector, as well as operator courses for all of the company’s equipment.
For more information contact:
Getinge Lancer UK Ltd
1 Pembroke Avenue
Waterbeach
Cambridge CB25 9QP
Tel: 01223 861665
Email: ukhcsales@getinge.com
Web: www.getinge.com/uk
