title: Correction of deficiencies in flexible fiberoptic sigmoidoscope cleaning and disinfection technique in family practice and internal medicine offices.
abstract: To assess whether deficiencies exist in the processing of contaminated flexible fiberoptic sigmoidoscopes in family practice and internal medicine offices and whether training of office personnel results in a correction of identified deficiencies, we conducted a prospective review of sigmoidoscope processing in family practice and internal medicine offices before and after a training course. Participants were questioned on their current endoscope processing for 17 standards before and 2 months after receiving training. The 19 offices had between 4 and 11 deficiencies per office before training, with an average of 6.8 deficiencies per office. After training, deficiencies ranged from 0 to 8, with an average of 0.9 deficiencies per office (P < or = .001; Student t test). Personnel responsible for processing flexible sigmoidoscopes in family practice and internal medicine offices are insufficiently trained for this function. Endoscopes are not being processed according to current standards. After a 2-hour training period, these persons maintain their equipment close to or according to standards.
authors.affiliation: West Shore Endoscopy Center, Camp Hill, Pa., USA.
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ball
mesh_terms: D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000193:education*; D010824:Physicians' Offices / Q000592:standards*; D020694:Sigmoidoscopes