Healthcare Inspection – Alleged Improper Maintenance of Reprocessing Equipment, Huntington VA Medical Center, Huntington, West Virginia

OIG conducted an inspection in response to complaints concerning responsibility for and proper maintenance of the MEDIVATORS Advantage Plus Endoscope Reprocessing System® at the Huntington VA Medical Center (facility), Huntington, WV. We did not substantiate the allegation that staff responsible for cleaning gastrointestinal endoscopes failed to perform required maintenance on reprocessing equipment by not replacing filters. We did not find documentation to support that the reprocessing equipment became clogged and potentially created a patient safety risk. We did not substantiate the allegation that replacing filters on the reprocessing equipment is the responsibility of Sterile Processing Service staff rather than Biomedical Engineering staff. Facility policy states that reprocessing equipment filters will be changed by Biomedical Engineering staff. We made no recommendations. The Veterans Integrated Service Network and Facility Directors concurred with our findings.