By: Gina McAllister & Jill Holdsworth
One of the biggest lessons Sterile Processing has learned over the years is that effective reprocessing does not start in decontamination; it starts at the point of use. By the time an instrument or device reaches the Sterile Processing Department (SPD), the outcome of the cleaning process has already been influenced by how it was handled immediately after use. The same principle applies to ultrasound probe reprocessing.
Point-of-use treatment refers to actions taken immediately after device use to prevent bioburden, blood, tissue, ultrasound gel, and other organic material from drying on the device surface before cleaning and disinfection or sterilization. This step is considered foundational because cleaning effectiveness decreases significantly once organic material dries and hardens on device surfaces. Organizations such as the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) have repeatedly emphasized that effective cleaning begins at the point of use — not in decontamination.
In many facilities, surgical instrument workflows include measurable accountability for point-of-use treatment, as healthcare organizations recognize that downstream processes cannot reliably correct upstream failures. Delayed cleaning, dried bioburden, improper handling, and inconsistent transport practices increase cleaning difficulty, contribute to repeat processing, delay device availability, impact workflow efficiency, and may ultimately compromise patient safety and device integrity.
Ultrasound probe workflows face many of these same challenges, yet they do not receive the same level of auditing, education, or interdisciplinary oversight traditionally seen in sterile processing environments. As ultrasound systems continue expanding across emergency departments, perioperative services, labor and delivery, ambulatory clinics, and bedside procedural areas, variation in handling, transport, cleaning initiation, and documentation can quickly develop without standardized expectations and shared accountability.
Ultrasound probe reprocessing may involve manual cleaning, automated high-level disinfection (HLD) systems, UV-C technologies, or chemical HLD processes, depending on probe classification and manufacturer's Instructions for Use (IFUs). Many healthcare organizations utilize U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered systems to support standardized contact times, traceability, and workflow consistency. However, even the most advanced disinfection technology cannot compensate for inadequate cleaning or delayed point-of-use treatment. If blood, ultrasound gel, or organic material remains on the probe surface, the effectiveness of the disinfection process may already be compromised before the device enters HLD.
Like Sterile Processing, successful ultrasound probe reprocessing requires collaboration between Infection Prevention, Sterile Processing, Sonography, Nursing, Clinical Engineering, and procedural teams. Sustainable improvement depends on standardized workflows, competency validation, routine auditing, traceable documentation, education, and leadership support for point-of-use compliance initiatives
As ultrasound use continues to expand across healthcare, organizations may need to evaluate whether ultrasound probe reprocessing receives the same operational attention as that historically applied to surgical instrumentation. The question may no longer be whether point-of-use treatment matters — but whether healthcare systems are standardizing and consistently supporting it to reduce risk across all reprocessed medical devices.
Guest Author, Gina McAllister, is an EMT/P, CRCST, BA, with 28 years of healthcare experience spanning 911 EMS, Emergency Department Medicine, Pediatric Flight Paramedic, and Sterile Processing leadership. Her professional focus centers on infection prevention, regulatory compliance, and advancing reprocessing standards through education, collaboration, and operational excellence. Gina is recognized for building strong interdisciplinary relationships and promoting patient safety initiatives across multiple healthcare settings. If you have questions for Gina, please feel free to contact her at: gina.mcallister@ascension.org
*Disclaimer: The information shared in this article is that of the author(s) and should be reviewed by the consumer as that written by an independent party to CS Medical or in conjunction with CS Medical staff. The article may or may not directly represent any employer, company, or third party, and are solely that of the individual(s) or contributors themselves.
