Current issues in reprocessing of medical and surgical instruments.

By the very nature of reusability, processing for reusable medical devices has been and continues to be risk prone. Healthcare systems have historically been slow to embed best practice quality control elements into everyday reprocessing workflow. The identification of weak points and an openness to change are necessary to allow for a proactive culture of safety. Infection preventionists can play key roles in establishing and maintaining related quality control and oversight.