The Dangers of Third-Party Service Agreements

Course code: 4262

2 contact hours

Perioperative Nurses

Sterile Processing Personnel

Third-party repair and replacement of parts in battery-powered, air-powered, and micro-electric orthopedic surgical instruments and equipment open the door for a range of risks to the patient and the healthcare organization. Third-party servicing uses parts that may not be manufactured by the original instrument company and therefore are non-compatible parts that can result in serious equipment malfunction and can reduce the lifespan of these instruments. Through this education activity, perioperative personnel will gain a clear understanding of the negative implications associated with third-party servicing and part replacement, as well as the knowledge regarding regulatory perspectives on third-party servicing. This knowledge can help perioperative teams in planning accordingly to prevent patient injury and costly lawsuits as a result of third-party servicing that can also harm the reputation of a healthcare organization and its perioperative professionals.