Below the Hospital

AAMI

Garland Grisby is a sterile processing professional with Sutter Health and a longtime volunteer member of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). In Below the Hospital, Garland speaks to the sterile processing techs, standards developers, and clinical educators who make your work possible. Their goal? Make sure that you have the resources you need to do your job.

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21 episodes
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Avg 19 min
English

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October 7 · 25 min
Designing and Disposing of Medical Devices
Why do some instructions for use (IFUs) make sense to manufacturers but not to sterile processing teams? On this episode of Below the Hospital, host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. speaks to Samantha Hodge, co-owner and managing director of O'Dell & Hodge Consulting and co-chair of AAMI Working Group 15, about what happens to a medical device before it ever reaches the sterile processing department and dealing with special end of life cases like exposure to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
September 10 · 21 min
When Does a Reusable Medical Device Reach End of Life?
Alpa Patel of Nelson Labs joins Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby to discuss her study alongside colleague Daniel Olsen on the impact of end-of-life processing for reusable medical devices. Since sterile processing professionals lack guidance on what constitutes the end-of-life threshold, it is critical to understand which devices can withstand reprocessing and that end-of-life depends on how often a device is reprocessed. Read the paper at BI&T: https://array.aami.org/doi/10.2345/0899-8205-59.1.128
August 18 · 25 min
Worker Safety and Chemical Exposure in Sterile Processing
Alex Hilliker of ChemDAQ joins Garland-Rhea Grisby to discuss chemical monitoring in the sterile processing department and how applying ANSI/AAMI ST58 can help keep you and your employees safe from overexposure to chemicals like vaporized hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and glutaraldehyde. Disclaimer: ChemDAQ manufactures sensor technology used for chemical monitoring.
August 5 · 21 min
How Different Radiation Modalities Impact Sterilization
Martell Winters, Director of Scientific Competency at Nelson Labs, joins Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to discuss radiation sterilization. Check out their conversation on bioburden type and testing, material selection for medical devices, and the factors to consider when selecting different radiation sterilization modalities.
July 17 · 22 min
Creating Safe and Sterile Packaging for Medical Devices
Tanya Magaña, Supplier Excellence Engineer for Packaging at Solventum, joins Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. on the Below the Hospital podcast to discuss how packaging engineers impact your work in the sterile processing department, and the importance of the design and testing process for the sterile packaging that keeps patients safe.
July 1 · 22 min
The Role of Ethylene Oxide in Sterile Processing
Ted May, CEO of Andersen Sterilizers, joins Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. on Below the Hospital to discuss ethylene oxide, its role in sterile processing, and how it remains a useful, niche sterilization modality. Plus, a discussion of the scientific process behind combating CRE outbreaks and what it took to obtain terminal sterilization clearance under the FDA’s duodenoscope requirements. Disclaimer: Andersen Products distributes and services gas sterilization products manufactured by Andersen Sterilizers, Inc. Andersen Sterilizers manufactures its products in North Carolina.
June 17 · 14 min
Clinical Education, SPD War Stories, and Avoiding Wet Packs
Kenneth Campbell joins Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby for part two of their conversation about steam sterilization, how to apply ANSI/AAMI ST79 in your facility, and share stories about overfilled trays and wet packs.
June 3 · 17 min
Applying ST79 to Steam Sterilization
Kenneth Campbell, veteran, educator, standards developer, and HSPA Fellow, joins Below the Hospital host Garland Grisby Sr. to discuss steam sterilization in the SPD, why ST79 matters, and how to avoid nightmare scenarios like wet packs.
May 21 · 22 min
New Research on Tackling Endoscope Biofilm Buildup
Infections from contaminated endoscopes or duodenoscopes can be hard to track and lethal. But new research on endoscope processing may provide a way for sterile processing professionals to deal with biofilm buildup in the SPD. Daniel Lightfoot of Nanosonics joins Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to discuss research that he recently presented at HSPA 2026, and his findings on a better way to tackle the cyclical buildup of biofilm.
May 1 · 14 min
Combating Medical Waste in Sterile Processing
The medical field is a massive producer of waste. But sustainability practices can help combat this problem without compromising on patient safety. Marcia Frieze of Case Medical joins us this week to talk about environmental safety, the potential of enzymatic detergents, and how you can contribute to the state of the art in sterile processing. Disclaimer: Case Medical is a manufacturer of enzymes.
March 31 · 20 min
Using Facility and Equipment Planning to Future Proof Sterile Processing
Delores O'Connell of STERIS joins host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to discuss the how and why of equipment planning in sterile processing. Learn how to future-proof your facility, what it takes to design a new one, and how you can work with other departments in your workplace like clinical engineering.
March 5 · 18 min
Keeping Packaging Safe, Sterile, and Predictable
When sterile packaging fails, SPD pays the price. Sade Brown, PhD, R&D engineer and scientist with global healthcare solutions company Owens & Minor, joins host Garland Grisby Sr. to discuss the science behind sterile packaging and how to combat common issues like loss of sterile barrier integrity, and wet packs.
February 17 · 20 min
Navigating IFUs and Surveyor Visits in the SPD
Rebecca Peplau, Clinical Education specialist at Healthmark joins host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to chat about what today’s sterile processing professionals need the most. The answer? Clear guidance, ongoing education, and stronger support systems.
February 3 · 18 min
Choosing the Right Endoscope Hang Time
Margaret Gilman of Nemours Children’s Health joins host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. on Below the Hospital to discuss her research on the importance of a 14-day hang time for endoscopes. Not only does a 14-day hang time protect your patients and save your facility money – Gilman’s work with her colleagues is a great blueprint for sterile processing professionals looking to conduct their own assessments. 0 Show Notes: 1. Gilman, et al, Using a Risk Assessment to Transition to a 14-Day Endoscope Hang Time: https://array.aami.org/doi/10.2345/0899-8205-59.2.155
January 22 · 14 min
Why AI Won’t Take Sterile Processing Jobs
AI is here, but what does that mean for professionals in the SPD? Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. talks with Salmaan Hameed of BH2 Innovations about what big data and AI can do, what they can’t do, and how they are likely to change maintenance, analytics, and facility operating costs throughout the sterile processing field. Show Notes: 1. Salmaan Hameed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salmaanhameed
Dec 16, 2025 · 19 min
The How and Why of Ultrasound Probe Disinfection
Kathy McMullen, Executive Director of Infection Prevention and Sterilization at Mercy, joins Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to chat about her work as an infection preventionist and the best practices for processing ultrasound probes. Learn about the low-level disinfection process for the typical ultrasound probe, the science behind it, and how infection preventionists can be your support system in the sterile processing department.
Dec 2, 2025 · 15 min
Cultivating Soft Skills in Sterile Processing
Do soft skills like emotional intelligence matter in technical fields like sterile processing? According to DB Bedford, the answer is ‘yes.’ DB Bedford, workplace civility strategist at Ei365, joins host Garland-Rhea Grisby to chat about how emotional intelligence is fundamental to “mission-critical” fields like sterile processing. Of all the soft skills, emotional intelligence, and its components like the “purposeful pause,” are key to job satisfaction, career advancement opportunities, and skill at handling adversity.
Nov 17, 2025 · 13 min
Multiple Shifts, Speaking Up, and Protecting the Patient
Scott Eddy is 43-year veteran of the sterile processing profession with a wealth of stories to share. He joined Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to discuss what he wishes he had known when he started, his favorite parts of the job, and the importance of speaking up on behalf of the patient and the team.
Nov 4, 2025 · 18 min
How Surgical Robotics Have Changed Sterile Processing
Nupur Jain of Intuitive Surgical joins Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby Sr. to discuss surgical robotics, manufacturer instructions for use, and patient safety. Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded during the 2025 celebration of Sterile Processing Week. A special thanks to everyone who works within, or below, the hospital to keep patients safe and healthy.
Oct 15, 2025 · 18 min
ST79 Has Begun the Revision Process
ANSI/AAMI ST79, the standard that provides guidance on steam sterilization and sterility assurance, is being revised! Below the Hospital host Garland-Rhea Grisby catches up with Mary Ann Drosnock, co-chair of the working group responsible for the revision. Find out why the standard is being updated, how sterile processing professionals are key to the process, and how you can help! Show Notes: 1. AAMI appoints new co-chairs to sterilization standards groups: https://array.aami.org/content/news/aami-appoints-new-co-chairs-sterilization-standards-groups

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