This handbook aims to describe how sterile medical devices for healthcare, dental care and veterinary care should be received, stored, handled, and transported to ensure that the products maintain their sterility and other characteristics such as their function and marking until they are used. These recommendations can also be applied in occupational hygiene activities. The document can be used as a basis for creation of good local procedures and criteria for storage and logistic processes, both in existing operations and for construction and upgrading.
Effective receipt, storage, handling, and transport ensure that products remain safe for patients and can also result in good occupational health and safety, and ergonomics, fewer discarded products and correct and efficient use of premises.
This handbook concerns sterile medical devices, both disposable products from external suppliers and multiple-use products sterilised by the healthcare provider.
Receipt and storage are described initially on the basis of packaging level. This is followed by a description of the transportation of products between different operations. Premises are described in a separate clause.
Loan instruments are not touched upon in this document (see Guidelines for borrowing instruments, www.sfvh.se)