Enterprising a Central Sterile Supplies Department of an Otolaryngology & ENT Hospital.

Background: Minimising the hospital acquired infections in a surgical specialty hospital is given highest preference among administrators of such hospitals. Standardization and centralization of all surgical supplies and instruments is of paramount importance to be done meticulously. The department which is responsible for processing, sterilizing and dispensing of all items of sterile equipment, sets and dressings to the rest of hospital is being referred as Central Sterile supplies department (CSSD) and managing it requires entrepreneurial skills.

Objective: Many hospital administrators identify the inventory based on the clinicians' recommendations. This study gives a lucid account of instrument sets that are required in a 100 bed, 200 bed hospitals with given surgical specialties.

Results: 36 and 49 types of instrument sets and 109 items of instruments in each tray would be required to 100 bed and 200 bed hospital respectively. About 174 and 236 is the ideal inventory of sets required. The sets are classified into big, medium and small sets for the convenience of sterilization in autoclaves. Each big set with its instruments would cost INR 40,170/-, medium set INR 12,280/- and small set INR 1194/- with 109, 21 and 4 instruments in each set.

Conclusion: A hospital should have estimate of capital costs required to commission CSSD in buying each instrument set. Pilferage and condemnation of items can be minimized, if ideal inventory levels are maintained.