In healthcare, patient safety and operational efficiency often depend on invisible systems working perfectly in the background. One of those systems—water quality—has quietly become a defining factor in sterile processing success. With new standards such as AAMI ST108 setting stricter expectations, hospitals and SPDs (Sterile Processing Departments) are rethinking how they monitor, manage, and measure their water. Considering that a single SPD will likely use thousands of gallons of water daily, the stakes for getting water quality right have never been higher.

What does “good water quality” actually mean for sterile processing, and how can hospitals transform it from a compliance checkbox into a driver of patient safety and efficiency?

Welcome to ConCensis. In the latest episode, host Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B at MarketScale, sits down with Jeffrey Paquet, CEO of VERDA Water Quality Systems, to unpack the unseen yet critical role of water in healthcare operations. Together, they explore how water quality impacts everything from instrument integrity to infection prevention, and how technology and cross-disciplinary teamwork are reshaping the way SPDs think about their most used resource.

What you’ll learn…

• Water as a performance multiplier: From detergents and enzymes to sterilizers, proper water quality determines how effective every step of the SPD process can be. Poor water equals damaged instruments, higher costs, and potential infection risk.

• Three essential water types: Paquet breaks down utility, critical, and steam water—each with unique standards, uses, and monitoring requirements that SPDs must understand and routinely test for.

• Data-driven management: Technologies like VERDA’s real-time monitoring systems and Censis’ CensiTrac enable departments to correlate water data with instrument outcomes, helping pinpoint and solve quality issues before they escalate.

Jeffrey Paquet is an accomplished healthcare and engineering executive with over two decades of experience leading innovation in medical infrastructure and water quality management. As CEO of VERDA Water Quality Systems and Mobile Medical International Corporation (mmic™), he specializes in ensuring hospitals maintain operational continuity through high-quality temporary surgical and sterile processing facilities. His career highlights include advancing sustainable water quality solutions for healthcare environments and guiding cross-industry engineering design and product development through his firm, Dimension Business Group.

Sterile Processing Departments (SPDs) are the unsung backbone of surgical care — ensuring every instrument, tray, and tool is safe, sterile, and ready when needed. Yet, despite their vital role, SPD workflows often rely on manual processes and underrecognized best practices. As healthcare systems push for greater efficiency and staff well-being, SPD managers are turning to smarter tools to bridge that gap. Recent research underscores that inefficiencies in sterile processing can ripple through the entire surgical ecosystem, reinforcing why technology-driven improvements in inspection, tracking, and assembly are essential to reducing workflow disruptions and delays.

Could technology be the key to unlocking new levels of accuracy and efficiency in sterile processing? And how are innovative SPD leaders using platforms like CensiTrac to save time, strengthen compliance, and boost team morale?

That’s the focus of this episode of ConCensis, hosted by Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B at MarketScale. Joining him is Amy Webb, Manager of Sterile Processing at Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, who shares her real-world strategies for improving department efficiency — from smart organization systems to leadership approaches that keep teams engaged. Together, they explore how digital tracking tools, data-driven insights, and a people-first mindset are transforming the SPD landscape.

Key takeaways from the conversation…

• Organizational Overhaul: Webb explains how assigning each tray its own labeled container streamlined workflows, improved inventory visibility, and reduced search time for critical instruments.

• Human-Centered Management: Her leadership style prioritizes open communication, trust, and staff empowerment — creating buy-in that makes process innovation stick.

• Tech-Driven Efficiencies: By leveraging CensiTrac, Webb and her team can now automate documentation, monitor productivity in real time, and integrate performance data with hospital systems — cutting manual record-keeping and aligning SPD output with OR needs.

Amy Webb is the Manager of Sterile Processing at Dignity Health, bringing over a decade of hands-on experience in sterile processing and surgical support. Beginning her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant, she advanced through roles at Banner Health and Atlas Healthcare Partners before leading operations at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. Certified in Sterile Processing and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Webb is known for her leadership in optimizing workflows and elevating SPD team performance.

Sterile processing teams are under constant pressure—handling growing surgical demands, working short-staffed, and navigating strict regulations—so getting every instrument tray assembled right the first time has never mattered more. Even a single assembly error can cascade into costly OR delays or, worse, compromise patient safety. Recent research highlights that most surgical instrument errors stem from failures in inspection and identification, and these mistakes frequently lead to operating room delays and wasted resources. In this climate, artificial intelligence tools are stepping in to help SPDs raise their quality benchmarks.

How can AI-powered verification like Censis’ Final Check feature transform the daily realities of sterile processing teams? And beyond efficiency, what impact does this technology have on compliance, staff morale, and hospital culture at large?

This episode of ConCensis, hosted by Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B at MarketScale, dives deep into these questions with guest Greg Warino, the Market Director of Central Sterile Processing at Mercy Health. Together, they explore how Final Check is reshaping workflows, reducing errors, and reinforcing trust across OR teams.

The key topics of discussion are…

Error reduction at scale: Since implementing Final Check, Mercy Health’s SPDs dropped tray indicator errors from 15–20 per month to virtually zero across three hospitals and a surgery center.

Compliance and confidence: Final Check provides photographic proof of tray accuracy, easing survey readiness and empowering technicians with verifiable documentation.

Culture shift and retention: By embracing cutting-edge AI, SPD teams report higher confidence, lower turnover, and renewed trust from perioperative staff.

Greg Warino, CRCST, CHL, is an experienced sterile processing leader with over a decade in perioperative support operations. He currently serves as the Market Director of Central Sterile Processing at Mercy Health, where he has led teams for nearly seven years, overseeing quality, compliance, and efficiency across multiple hospitals. Previously, he managed sterile processing at Steward Health Care for five years, strengthening his expertise in team leadership, process improvement, and patient safety.

The sterile processing industry stands at a pivotal moment. With surgical case volumes rising while departmental resources remaining flat, the pressure to “do more with less” has never been greater. Nowadays, sterile processing departments (SPDs) are struggling with high staff turnover and growing compliance requirements. And while these regulations are designed to improve patient safety, the added workload—combined with frequent staff shortages—can overwhelm teams, slow efficiency, and increase the likelihood of errors that put patients at risk. Against this backdrop, the upcoming Censis Technologies User Conference (CtUC) 2025, themed “Elevating the Standard,” arrives as both a reflection of industry challenges and a rallying call for solutions.

So, what does “elevating the standard” look like in practice—and how can SPD leaders, technicians, and hospital partners rise to meet it?

Welcome to ConCensis. In this episode, host Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B at MarketScale, sits down with three key leaders from Censis Technologies—Amanda Birkhead, Vice President of Product & Marketing; Sheena Moore, President; and Desiré Smith, Implementation Manager—to preview CtUC 2025 and unpack how the conference will help reimagine workflows, empower teams, and strengthen the SPD community at large.

The main points of conversation…

Training, empowerment, and connection: CtUC 2025 (being held virtually from September 8-10) is designed to equip SPD professionals with insights from industry experts, peers, and Censis leaders—fostering both education and community.

Technology for “more with less”: From advanced reporting analytics to new AI-powered co-pilot tools, Censis is unveiling innovations that simplify workflows, reduce risk, and support technicians at every skill level.

Community-driven impact: Beyond education, the conference emphasizes peer-to-peer collaboration, one-on-one engagement with Censis experts, and a ripple effect of shared best practices that can elevate the industry as a whole.

Amanda Birkhead is a senior marketing and product management executive with over 20 years of B2B experience spanning software, services, and industrial solutions. She has held leadership roles at Fortive, Honeywell, and Censis Technologies, where she has driven digital transformation, delivered innovative product roadmaps, and built high-performance teams. Known for translating customer insights into profitable growth strategies, she specializes in global market expansion, strategic organizational transformation, and cross-functional collaboration to achieve measurable business impact.

Sheena Moore is the President of Censis Technologies, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience across the healthcare, industrial, and manufacturing sectors. She has held senior roles at Fortive, Landauer, IDEX, and The Timken Company, where she led business transformations, operational optimization, and growth strategies. With a strong background in general management, sales, and customer-focused innovation, she is recognized for driving organizational performance and building high-impact teams in complex, global markets.

Desiré Smith serves as Implementation Manager, overseeing on-site training for Go Lives and helping clients tailor workflows for maximum efficiency. With years of experience in SPD operations and client success, she bridges technical expertise with hands-on support. She is known for working side-by-side with customers to troubleshoot challenges and ensure the smooth adoption of Censis solutions.

In a healthcare ecosystem increasingly driven by data, sterile processing departments (SPDs) find themselves at a crossroads—balancing precision and pace, safety and speed. As hospitals look to reduce inefficiencies and protect patient safety, analytics tools are transforming sterile processing from an often overlooked backroom function into a vital, data-enhanced frontline of care. Research shows that missing instruments in surgical trays can cause significant delays and financial losses—costing hospitals hundreds of thousands annually—underscoring the critical role of real-time analytics in preventing these inefficiencies.

So, how can frontline healthcare teams merge hard metrics with the soft skill of intuition to streamline operations, improve quality, and ensure safety? What role does data storytelling play in elevating sterile processing strategy?

Welcome to ConCensis. In the latest episode, host Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B at MarketScale, sits down with Beth Perry, Business Intelligence & Analytics Engineer at Censis Technologies, to explore how blending data and intuition is not only possible but necessary in modern SPD operations. The two discuss Perry’s unconventional path from journalism to healthcare analytics, and how narrative instincts can make raw numbers actionable.

Key Takeaways from the Episode…

Intuition Amplifies Metrics: Data analysis in SPDs mirrors journalism—asking the right questions, following patterns, and translating complexity into action. Beth highlights how technician intuition, like recognizing patterns in tray assembly speed, is vital for interpreting data trends.

A Dashboard is Only as Good as Its Story: Beth shares insights on building dashboards that reveal both current performance and actionable paths forward. Clear visualization of productivity, quality, and instrument tracking empowers staff to trust their instincts and take decisive action.

Human-Centric Analytics Lead to Real Impact: From reducing incomplete tray rates from 14% to 9% in one month to identifying training slowdowns, Beth emphasizes how visibility and ownership among SPD teams drive real performance gains.

Beth Perry is a seasoned business intelligence and analytics professional with over 15 years of experience developing data solutions across healthcare, logistics, and technology sectors. At Censis Technologies, she has held multiple analytics-focused roles, most recently serving as an Engineer in Business Intelligence & Analytics, where she helped innovate the company’s AI² platform for sterile processing departments. Known for her strong communication skills and ability to bridge technical insights with business needs, she has become a key driver of data-informed strategy and operational efficiency in healthcare settings.

When most people think of hospitals, their minds go straight to doctors, nurses, and lifesaving procedures. Rarely do they consider the intricate world behind the scenes—especially the sterile processing departments that ensure every surgical instrument is safe and accounted for. In an era where precision and speed can impact patient outcomes, advancements in surgical instrument tracking technology are transforming the way these essential departments operate. The integration of tools like CensiTrac has revolutionized everything from locating misplaced sets to managing loaned equipment with photo documentation, increasing both accountability and efficiency. For professionals tasked with training new technicians, intuitive software has also become an unexpected ally—turning complex processes into teachable, repeatable routines. But the real story isn’t just the technology; it’s about the people leveraging it to build smoother workflows, create faster turnaround times, and offer better care.

To hear from the frontline of this innovation, meet Sydney McWaters and Trey Sneed of Stillwater Medical Center, who share how ConCensis has reshaped their daily work in meaningful ways

At the Stillwater Medical Center in Oklahoma, Lead Central Sterile Technician Sydney McWaters and Certified Sterilization Technician Trey Sneed have experienced firsthand how CensiTrac, the surgical instrument and asset management solution from Censis, has transformed daily operations and helped their team adapt to change with confidence.

Recently, the department implemented location scanning through CensiTrac—a change that significantly improved turnaround times and made it easier to locate sets when they’re needed most. What was once a manual, time-consuming search has now become a quick lookup process, thanks to precise scan-to-location tracking.

In addition to scanning, the team has embraced CensiTrac’s loaner tray tracking and photo documentation features, allowing them to confirm instrument completeness and respond to discrepancies with clarity and confidence. This has proven especially useful when coordinating with external vendors or surgical teams.

Both McWaters and Sneed emphasize how approachable and responsive the Censis support team has been throughout their journey. As their department continues to evolve, CensiTrac remains a reliable, user-friendly foundation for improving accuracy, training, and efficiency.

At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Nursing Manager Josh Meyer has seen measurable benefits from implementing CensiTrac’s AI² functionality. The tool has become an integral part of how the department monitors quality, manages staffing, and improves daily operations.

With AI², the team is able to track key quality metrics across sterile processing workflows. From detecting sharp items improperly placed in containers to identifying holes in blue wraps or missing instruments in trays, every detail is logged and analyzed. This granular data helps ensure that only properly prepared and fully compliant instrument sets are sent to the operating room.

In addition to quality monitoring, the system provides valuable insights into staffing needs and productivity levels. Meyer and his team use this data to assess daily output and identify where staffing adjustments may be necessary to maintain performance standards.

By leveraging the technology, the sterile processing team has strengthened its operational visibility, improved accountability, and enhanced the overall quality of surgical support services.

In the intricate choreography of modern healthcare, sterile processing may not be the most visible performance—but it’s one of the most vital. Behind every successful surgery lies an army of professionals ensuring that every tool is flawlessly clean, complete, and ready for action. As hospitals face rising demands and tighter margins, the ability to track quality metrics and staffing productivity in real-time has become indispensable. Leveraging advanced technology like AI-powered analytics is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity to safeguard patient outcomes and improve operational efficiency.

One leader who’s pioneering this evolution in sterile processing is Josh Meyer, Nurse Manager at Mayo Clinic Rochester, who shares how tools like ConCensis are reshaping the frontline of surgical readiness.

Brenda “Jan” Prudent, Sterile Processing Manager at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, has seen significant improvements in accountability, inventory management, and workflow efficiency since implementing CensiTrac, the leading cloud-based surgical instrument and asset management system from Censis.

Before adopting CensiTrac, her department used manual tracking methods that limited visibility and made it difficult to ensure consistency. Now, every stage of the process, from decontamination and assembly to sterilization and storage, is captured in real time, enabling the team to trace errors, maintain compliance, and reinforce best practices.

Prudent found the system especially valuable in analyzing tray utilization and productivity. With detailed reporting tools, the team can track how often trays are used and make data-driven decisions about whether new instruments are truly needed.

Today, CensiTrac plays a critical role in supporting safe, efficient, and well-informed sterile processing operations at the facility.