Method Of Sterilizing Medical Devices, Analyzing Biological Indicators, And Linking Medical Device Sterilization Equipment

Abstract

A biological indicator analyzer includes a plurality of wells, a plurality of organism detector features, and a user input feature such as a touch screen. Each well is configured to receive a respective biological indicator. Each organism detector feature is configured to detect whether a biological indicator disposed in a corresponding well of the plurality of wells contains a living organism. The touch screen is configured to receive user input and provide information to the user indicating a status of biological indicator analysis. The biological indicator analyzer may be used to analyze a biological indicator that was positioned in a sterilization chamber of a sterilizing cabinet along with at least one medical device that is to be sterilized. The analysis may indicate whether the sterilization cycle in the sterilization chamber as successful.

1 . A method for monitoring and managing a network of medical device processing components comprising the steps:
 (a) creating a site record;   (b) creating a device record for a first medical device processing component and associating the device record with the site record;   (c) connecting the first medical device processing component to a communication hub via a network interface;   (d) receiving a site selection identifying the site record from a user device and, in response, providing a list of devices associated with the site record to the user device;   (e) receiving a device selection identifying the device record from the user device and, in response, providing a set of device information associated with the first medical device processing component to the user device;   (f) receiving, at the communication hub, a task record from the first medical device processing component, the task record describing a first task performed by the first medical device processing component; and   (g) providing the task record to a second medical device processing component, wherein the second medical device processing component is configured to perform a second task based upon the task record.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of connecting the first medical device processing component to the communication hub comprises:
 (i) receiving a device connection request from the user device;   (ii) causing the user device to display a connection interface;   (iii) receiving a set of device connection information from the user device; and   (iv) attempting a connection to the first medical device processing component using the set of device connection information, wherein the connection interface comprises a set of connection instructions.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the connection interface is configured to provide to the communication hub:
 (i) a network location identifier, a username, and a password; or   (ii) a network pairing code.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first medical device processing component comprises a sterilizing cabinet;
 wherein providing the set of device information comprises causing a device overview interface to display on the user device, wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:   (i) a device identifier;   (ii) a sterilization cycle summary;   (iii) a sterilization cycle table; and   (iv) a sterilization cycle visualization.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sterilization cycle summary comprises a total number of cycles, an average cycles per day, and a number of cycles including a biological indicator;
 wherein the sterilization cycle table comprises a set of rows, each row corresponding to a single sterilization cycle performed by the first medical device processing component; and wherein the sterilization cycle visualization comprises one or more of a pie chart, a bar chart, or a graph.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first medical device processing component comprises a biological indicator analyzer;
 wherein providing the set of device information comprises causing a device overview interface to display on the user device; wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:   (i) a device identifier;   (ii) a biological indicator analysis summary;   (iii) an indicator well status; and   (iv) an indicator analysis table.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the biological indicator analysis summary comprises a total number of analyses, a number of analyses per day, and a number of analyses indicating cycle success;
 wherein the indicator well status comprises a plurality of well indicators, each well descriptor comprising a vacancy indicator and an analyses duration indicator; and wherein the indicator analysis table comprises a set of rows, each row corresponding to a single biological indicator analysis performed by the indicator analyzer.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the set of device information comprises causing a device overview interface to display on the user device; wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:
 (i) a device identifier;   (ii) a biological indicator analysis summary;   (iii) an indicator well status; and   (iv) an indicator analysis table.   
     
     
         9 . A processing component network comprising:
 (a) a set of medical device processing components comprising:
 (i) a sterilizing cabinet, and 
 (ii) a biological indicator analyzer; and 
   (b) a means for configuring a network and monitoring medical device processing components; wherein the means for monitoring the set of medical device processing components is configured to:
 (i) connect to the set of medical device processing components, and 
 (ii) display a set of device information generated by at least one device of the set of medical device processing components. 
   
     
     
         10 . The processing component network of  claim 9 , further comprising a means for providing communication between the set of medical device processing components. 
     
     
         11 . A method for monitoring and managing a network of medical device processing components comprising the steps:
 (a) connecting a first medical device processing component to a communication hub;   (b) connecting a second medical device processing component to the communication hub;   (c) in response to a request from a user device, providing a list of devices associated with the communication hub to the user device;   (d) in response to a request from a user device, providing information associated with the first and second medical device processing components to the user device;   (e) performing a first task with the first medical device processing component;   (f) receiving, at the communication hub, a task record from the first medical device processing component, the task record describing the first task;   (f) providing the task record to a second medical device processing component; and   (g) performing a second task with the second medical device processing component.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein connecting the first medical device processing component to the communication hub comprises:
 (i) receiving a device connection request from the user device;   (ii) causing the user device to display a connection interface;   (iii) receiving a set of device connection information from the user device; and   (iv) attempting a connection to the first medical device processing component using the set of device connection information, wherein the connection interface comprises a set of connection instructions.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the connection interface is configured to provide to the communication hub:
 (i) a network location identifier, a username, and a password; or   (ii) a network pairing code.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first medical device processing component comprises a sterilizing cabinet;
 wherein providing information associated with the first and second medical device processing components to the user device comprises causing a device overview interface to display on the user device, wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:   (i) a device identifier;   (ii) a sterilization cycle summary;   (iii) a sterilization cycle table; and   (iv) a sterilization cycle visualization.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sterilization cycle summary comprises a total number of cycles, an average cycles per day, and a number of cycles including a biological indicator;
 wherein the sterilization cycle table comprises a set of rows, each row corresponding to a single sterilization cycle performed by the first medical device processing component; and wherein the sterilization cycle visualization comprises one or more of a pie chart, a bar chart, or a graph.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first medical device processing component comprises a biological indicator analyzer;
 wherein providing information associated with the first and second medical device processing components to the user device comprises causing a device overview interface to display on the user device; wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:   (i) a device identifier;   (ii) a biological indicator analysis summary;   (iii) an indicator well status; and   (iv) an indicator analysis table.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the biological indicator analysis summary comprises a total number of analyses, a number of analyses per day, and a number of analyses indicating cycle success;
 wherein the indicator well status comprises a plurality of well indicators, each well descriptor comprising a vacancy indicator and an analyses duration indicator; and wherein the indicator analysis table comprises a set of rows, each row corresponding to a single biological indicator analysis performed by the indicator analyzer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing information associated with the first and second medical device processing components to the user device comprises causing a device overview interface to display on the user device; wherein the device overview interface comprises two or more of:
 (i) a device identifier;   (ii) a biological indicator analysis summary;   (iii) an indicator well status; and   (iv) an indicator analysis table.