Guide to buying an autoclave or sterilizer for a medical facility
In many medical offices sterilization is easy to overlook. It tends not be any staff member's specialty or area of expertise. This makes the task of choosing the right autoclave or sterilizer for your practice confusing. The purpose of this blog post is to help you make the best decision when purchasing an autoclave or sterilizer.
Who do we serve?
We serve a wide variety of clients. Here are some of the practices and facilities we work with.
- Dermatologists and dermatology practices
- Plastic surgeons and plastic surgery practices
- Obstetrician-gynecologists and obstetrician-gynecology practices
- General and pediatric practitioners
- Urgent care centers
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Eye surgeons
- Dentists and dental practices
- Veterinarians
Making a buying decision is tough when you don't know where to start
Whether you are a doctor or the person responsible for buying an autoclave or sterilizer here are some helpful questions to answer.
- What type of autoclave or sterilizer do you need? (Learn more about the types of autoclaves and sterilizers - provide link to another blog post)
- What are the specific instructions for the instruments or objects you intend to sterilize?
- Do you plan to program custom cycle parameters or make use of the parameters already installed on the machine?
- What size autoclave or sterilizer is required for the instruments or objects and load size that best fits your facility's needs?
- Where is the autoclave or sterilizer going to be installed and ensure adequate electrical and physical requirements are present?
This isn't a comprehensive list, but it is a good place to start. We're going to provide an example of how someone in your position may answer these questions.
- The facility has determined that they require a dynamic air removal sterilizer and have decided a steam flush pressure pulse (SFPP) or pre/post vacuum machine.
- Instructions for use provided by the medical director for items to be sterilized indicate a 3-minute sterilization at 275 degrees Fahrenheit followed by a 30-minute drying cycle for one set of instruments and a 10-minute sterilization at 270 degrees Fahrenheit or higher followed by a 10-minute drying cycle for another set of instruments.
- Based on information the facility's staff was able to find the 10-minute sterilization at 270 degrees Fahrenheit or higher followed by a 10-minute drying cycle doesn't seem to be standard to any autoclave or sterilizer. The staff does require making use of a custom cycle parameter.
- Staff calculated throughput and daily sterilization needs to determine a load size of just over 8 lbs. for each cycle and instruments fit onto most tabletop autoclave and sterilizer trays without issue based on dimensions researched online.
- A designated clean utility room is equipped with power for standard 120 VAC devices on a dedicated line and has a water resistant and level counter with dimensions of 28 inches in depth and 26 inches in width. The cabinets installed over the counter are 21 inches in depth and 26 inches in width and 27 inches above the counter.
Based on the information the staff gathered they were able to narrow down their preferences to the Midmark M11-050 and Tuttnauer T-Edge 11B.
You're ready to buy but still have a couple of questions to ask
You can feel how close you are to the finish line. If you have any questions now is the time to ask. Reach out to one our knowledgeable sales or service representatives.
Telephone: (973) 521-8769
Email: info@quincemedical.com
What about delivery?
We offer multiple delivery options including curbside freight and white glove delivery. If you're located in any of these states listed below you may be eligible for free white glove delivery, installation, and a one-hour in-service when purchasing a new autoclave or sterilizer.
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- Pennsylvania
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Washington DC
define terms if necessary
ready-to-ship - 1-biz day ready to ship
Delivery, installation, in-service, maintenance, and repair