Start Here — Tell Us About Your OR World

• Which best describes your facility? Options: Large hospital (10+ ORs), Medium hospital (4–9 ORs), Small hospital (1–3 ORs), Ambulatory surgery center, Health system with multiple sites, Other
• What is your primary role in instrument purchasing and upkeep? Options: OR Materials Manager, Sterile Processing Director, Surgeon / Preference Card Owner, Supply Chain Manager, Perioperative Nurse, Other
• Which surgical specialties do you most commonly support? (select all that apply) Options: General Surgery, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neurosurgery, ENT, Gynecology, Urology, Plastics, Other
• Roughly how many active instrument sets/trays do you maintain across your site(s)? Options: < 50, 50–150, 151–400, 401–1,000, > 1,000, Unsure
• Who typically signs off on adding new instruments to the formulary at your location? Options: Surgeon + SPD, Value Analysis Committee, Materials Management/Purchasing, Infection Control, Clinical Engineering, Other
• Describe one recent moment when instrument issues disrupted a case or schedule (what happened, who was affected, and how it felt).

Are We Quietly Accepting Failures?

• How often does an instrument failure, misalignment, or missing instrument impact an OR case at your site? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Rarely, Unsure
• When failures happen, what tends to be the immediate consequence? Options: Case delay/cancellation, Switch to backup instruments, Increased procedure time, Surgeon complaint, No immediate visible impact, Other
• Can you share a specific recent example of a failing tray or instrument that caused a real operational or clinical problem?
• How much of your replacement spend is driven by instruments that wear out vs. instruments that are lost or misconfigured? Options: Mostly wear out, Mostly lost/misconfigured, Balanced mix, Unsure
• What emotions do instrument failures usually trigger for you and your team (e.g., frustration, embarrassment, anxiety about liability)? Options: Frustration, Embarrassment, Anxiety about liability, Resignation - it's expected, Motivation to fix it, Other
• If you had to estimate, how many sterilization cycles do your high-use instruments survive before performance is noticeably degraded? Options: < 100 cycles, 100–300, 301–700, 701–1500, > 1500, Don't track

Where Is Sterile Processing Losing Time (and Trust)?

• Why do sterilization bottlenecks still occur here despite current processes—are we under-resourced, under-inventoried, or using tools that require special handling? Options: Under-resourced staffing, Insufficient instrument inventory, Complex tray configurations, Inadequate training for new designs, Tracking/IT limitations, Other
• How often do you see trays returned from SPD with items missing, misassembled, or not cleaned to spec? Options: Very often, Often, Occasionally, Rarely, Never
• What are your current average instrument turnaround times for high-volume specialties, and where does that fall short of scheduling needs?
• What tracking or instrument management systems do you use (if any), and what do they miss? Options: Barcodes/labels, RFID, Manual logs, Inventory software, None, Other
• How confident is SPD in following manufacturer-specific cleaning/sterilization protocols for newer or specialty instruments? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Neutral, Somewhat unsure, Not confident
• If a vendor proposed instruments with longer life but slightly different cleaning steps, what would your top concerns be?

Who's Actually Driving the Decision (and Who's Quietly Blocking It)?

• Is the formal decision-maker the person who feels the pain most—if not, what disconnects do you notice between decision authority and day-to-day impact? Options: Decision-maker feels pain, Decision-maker is distant from day-to-day issues, Mixed - depends on case, Unsure
• Which stakeholders must align before a new instrument or tray is approved? (select all that apply) Options: Surgeon(s), Sterile Processing, OR Materials Manager, Value Analysis Committee, Purchasing, Infection Control, Clinical Leadership, Other
• Identify one champion who would be excited to lead a pilot and one skeptic who could block it—what motivates each of them?
• What timeline does leadership expect for evaluation and rollout of new instruments (typical/ideal)? Options: Immediate (weeks), Short (1–3 months), Medium (3–6 months), Long (6–12 months), Variable / project-based
• What does 'good' look like for procurement, SPD, and surgeons respectively—list one measurable expectation for each stakeholder group.
• Are there regulatory or regional approval processes (e.g., VAMC, formulary committee) that typically extend timelines? If so, which? Options: Yes - VAMC/value analysis, Yes - formulary committee, Yes - infection control approvals, No major processes, Unsure

When Surgeons Say 'I've Always Used X', What Are They Really Saying?

• What are the most common reasons surgeons resist new instruments—comfort, feel, fear of slowing case, or something else? Options: Comfort/familiarity, Concerns about reliability, Preference card complexity, Concern about instrument ergonomics, Lack of evidence, Other
• Have you ever run a hands-on surgeon trial? What went unexpectedly well or poorly in that trial? Options: Yes - successful, Yes - mixed results, Yes - unsuccessful, No
• How much direct surgeon feedback would you need during a trial to feel comfortable recommending adoption? Options: Single champion endorsement, Feedback from multiple regular users, Objective performance metrics + feedback, Formal surgeon committee sign-off, Unsure
• Which surgeon concerns can SPD or procurement realistically mitigate, and which require vendor-level proof or redesign?
• Describe an instance where surgeon preference cards were updated successfully—what made that change stick?
• Would surgeons be open to simulated cases or cadaver labs before live-patient trials? If yes, what format convinces them most? Options: Simulated OR dry-lab, Cadaver lab, Proctored live cases, Device comparison sessions, Not open, Unsure

Imagine a Day Without Instrument Failures — How Would You Measure Success?

• If we could reduce instrument-related case interruptions by 50% in six months, what would that unlock for your team?
• Which quantitative metrics matter most to you for evaluating success? (select up to three) Options: OR uptime / on-time starts, Tray turnaround time, Instrument replacement frequency, Cost per case, Surgeon satisfaction scores, SPD error rates
• What qualitative signals would tell you adoption is healthy—what would surgeons, SPD, and procurement each say?
• What is an acceptable replacement cadence for your high-use instruments (i.e., expected lifespan before replacement)? Options: < 1 year, 1–2 years, 3–5 years, 5+ years, Not sure / don't track
• What budgetary constraints or cost-per-case targets must the solution meet to be considered viable?
• How would you prefer performance be reported during a pilot — dashboards, weekly summaries, or surgeon testimonials? Options: Real-time dashboard, Weekly operational summary, Monthly executive report, Surgeon/ SPD testimonials, Combination

What Would a Low-Risk Pilot Actually Look Like?

• If you had to design a pilot that minimized disruption, what constraints would you impose (scope, specialties, duration)?
• Which trial models would your team accept? (select all that feel realistic) Options: Single-procedure type pilot, Single-surgeon champion pilot, Weekend simulated run-throughs, Parallel comparison in live cases, Phased roll-out across specialties
• What acceptance criteria would end a pilot in success—specific numeric thresholds or surgeon sign-off? Options: Numeric targets (e.g., < X delays), Surgeon champion endorsement, SPD process adherence, Cost neutrality or savings, Combination
• What training, documentation, or on-site support does SPD need during a pilot to feel confident? Options: Hands-on SPD training, Clearing/sterilization protocol sheets, On-call vendor support, Train-the-trainer model, Digital job aids/ videos
• How many instrument sets and replacement spares would you want staged to run a meaningful pilot for 1–3 months? Options: 1–3 sets, 4–7 sets, 8–15 sets, 16+ sets, Unsure
• What logistical or supply-chain concerns would stop you from committing to a pilot right now? Options: Delivery lead time, Custom tray assembly delays, Budget approval, Staffing for training, None, Other

Who's Responsible for What — Let’s Make It Unambiguous

• Which single person will be the pilot owner who can make day-to-day decisions and escalate quickly?
• Which groups must be looped into immediate communications during a pilot? (select all that should receive daily updates) Options: Surgeon champion(s), Sterile Processing, OR Scheduling, Materials Management, Value Analysis/Procurement, Infection Control
• What escalation path would you expect if an instrument issue threatens patient safety or causes a cancellation? Options: Immediate stop and vendor recall, SPD lead + vendor triage, Surgeon discretion to continue, Case reschedule only, Other
• What approvals or paperwork are required before we can start a pilot (e.g., committee sign-off, budget, training attestations)?
• Realistically, when could your team be ready to start a low-risk pilot if a plan met your acceptance criteria? Options: Immediately (within 2 weeks), Short (2–6 weeks), Medium (6–12 weeks), Longer than 12 weeks, Unsure
• What would make you say 'Yes' to a pilot right now—list the top two non-negotiables.

Start with a Quick Inventory Snapshot

• How would you rate the overall health of your surgical instrument inventory right now? Options: Excellent — mostly like-new, Good — occasional issues, Fair — regular repairs/patches, Poor — frequent failures
• How often do you perform a formal instrument audit per specialty or tray? Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually, Annually, Only when issues arise
• Roughly how many instrument trays do you actively maintain across all ORs (ballpark OK)? Options: <25, 25–50, 51–100, 101–250, >250
• Who is primarily responsible for deciding when an instrument gets repaired, replaced, or removed from service? Options: OR Materials Manager, Sterile Processing Director, Surgeon/Chief of Service, Supply Chain/Purchasing, Value Analysis/Clinical Engineering, Shared committee
• Describe one recent inventory discovery (a tray or instrument) that surprised you — what was found and why it mattered.

Are We Bracing for the Next Case Failure?

• How frequently do instrument problems cause a delay, case extension, or case cancellation? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, A few times a year, Rarely/never
• When an instrument fails during a case, what usually happens next and who makes the call about proceeding?
• Which of these outcomes have you experienced because of instrument failure? (select all that apply) Options: Extended anesthesia time, Case reschedule/cancel, Use of backup instruments that reduce performance, Surgeon complaint/hesitancy, Regulatory reporting required, No measurable impact
• How much OR time (on average) is lost when an instrument-related issue occurs? Options: <15 minutes, 15–30 minutes, 30–60 minutes, >60 minutes, Variable / unknown
• Tell us about the most recent instrument failure you tracked—what failed, in which procedure, and what was the downstream effect?

Where Does Sterilization Really Slow You Down?

• Which sterilization or reprocessing bottleneck frustrates you most right now? Options: Insufficient tray inventory, Extended sterilization cycle times, High rework/repairs post-sterilization, Special cleaning requirements for new instruments, Tracking/traceability gaps, Staffing or shift coverage
• What is your typical turnaround time goal for a tray going from decontam → sterile → back on shelf? Options: <6 hours, 6–12 hours, 12–24 hours, 24–48 hours, >48 hours / case-by-case
• Approximately what percentage of required trays are unavailable at first case of the day due to reprocessing or repair? Options: 0–5%, 6–15%, 16–30%, 31–50%, >50%
• Are there instrument designs in your inventory that require non-standard cleaning or special instrumentation that causes repeated SPD errors? Give examples.
• Who sets priority when multiple trays need urgent reprocessing (roles or names)? Options: SPD Charge Tech, SPD Director, OR Materials Manager, Nurse Manager/Periop Supervisor, Surgeon request, Other

How Do Surgeon Preferences Shape Your Inventory?

• How many unique surgeon preference cards or variants does your institution actively maintain? Options: <50, 50–100, 101–300, 301–700, >700
• How often do surgeons request instruments that you currently don’t stock? Options: Frequently (weekly), Regularly (monthly), Occasionally (quarterly), Rarely, Never
• What are the main reasons surgeons resist switching to a different instrument brand or design? Options: Habit/familiarity, Fear of poorer performance, Concern about sterilization differences, Preference card complexity, Credibility/relationship with vendor, Other
• Describe a recent instance where surgeon preference forced an ad-hoc workaround — what changed and who had to adapt?
• How often do you review and reconcile preference cards with SPD and purchasing? Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually, Annually, No regular cadence

What Failure Modes Are Silent but Dangerous?

• Which instrument failure modes show up most often in your inspections or after cases? Options: Dulling/blunt tips, Misalignment/loose joints, Corrosion/discoloration, Broken tips or springs, Loss of tension/grip, Instrument tracking lost
• Which of those failure modes has the highest risk to patient safety or procedure quality? Options: Dulling/blunt tips, Misalignment/loose joints, Broken tips, Loss of structural integrity, Other
• What is the average usable lifetime you see for a typical hand instrument in cycles or years? Options: <500 cycles / <1 year, 500–1,000 cycles / 1–2 years, 1,000–2,000 cycles / 2–4 years, >2,000 cycles / >4 years, Unknown
• What standard process do you use to inspect, tag, and retire instruments? Walk us through the steps and who performs them.
• When a trend in failure mode emerges (e.g., clamps losing tension), how do you investigate root cause and document corrective actions?

What Would It Take to Feel Confident Again?

• If you could set three measurable targets to restore confidence in instruments and sterilization, what would they be (e.g., tray availability, % of failed instruments, turnaround time)?
• Which of these would move the needle most for your team’s day-to-day stress? Options: Consistent tray availability, Longer instrument life / fewer replacements, Faster sterilization turnaround, Simpler preference card management, Clearer tracking/reporting
• What adoption signals would prove a new instrument or process is working (select all that apply)? Options: Reduced intra-op incidents, Fewer repairs sent out, Improved surgeon satisfaction scores, Lower total cost of ownership, Reduced OR overtime, Faster turnover times
• Imagine the perfect morning—first case starts on time and instruments are flawless. What changed the night before to make that happen?
• How emotionally important is instrument reliability to your leadership and to surgeons (scale)? Options: Critical — top priority, Important — part of quality agenda, Moderate — one of many priorities, Low — not prioritized

What Are the Hidden Costs Nobody Tracks?

• Which of these hidden costs affect you today? (select all that apply) Options: OR overtime and staffing, Lost billable cases, Surgeon productivity loss, Expedited shipping / emergency purchases, Increased repair fees, Regulatory penalties or reporting
• Estimate annual spend on emergency instrument replacement/expedited orders (choose range). Options: <$5,000, $5,000–$20,000, $20,000–$50,000, >$50,000, Unknown
• How often do instrument shortages drive use of rentals or third‑party loaner trays? Options: Frequently, Occasionally, Rarely, Never
• Have you tracked technician overtime or diverted staffing because of instrument reprocessing backlogs? If yes, how often? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, A few times a year, Never tracked / unknown
• Describe a hidden or surprising cost you uncovered in the past 12 months related to instruments or SPD operations.

Logistics & Supply Chain — Where The Rubber Meets The Road

• What are typical lead times from order to receiving replacement instruments or specialty parts? Options: <1 week, 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 4–8 weeks, >8 weeks / variable
• Do you maintain buffer stock for critical instruments, and if so, what is your buffer strategy? Options: Par level per tray, Safety stock in central store, Rotating loaner pool, No formal buffer, Other
• Have you experienced supplier disruptions in the past 12 months that impacted case schedules? Options: Yes — major impact, Yes — minor impact, No
• Are you open to a structured pilot that includes instrument delivery cadence, SPD training, and tray configuration changes? Options: Yes — ready now, Yes — within 1–3 months, Maybe — need approvals, Not at this time
• Which stakeholders must sign off on a pilot or supplier change (list roles/names and typical approval timeline)?

Putting the Pieces Together — Priorities & Next Steps

• If you had to fix one thing in the next 90 days to improve OR uptime, what would it be?
• From the items we've discussed, which three are highest priority for your team right now? (select up to three) Options: Increase tray availability, Reduce instrument failures, Shorten sterilization turnaround, Improve surgeon adoption, Lower total cost of ownership, Streamline preference cards
• How ready is your organization to run a 4–8 week hands-on trial that includes simulated cases and SPD training? Options: Fully ready — approvals in place, Partly ready — need minor approvals, Not ready — obstacles to address, Unsure — need to explore
• Who should we loop in next (names and roles) to review a proposed Current State Mapping visit and pilot plan?
• Is there anything else about your current state—cultural, operational, or emotional—that we'd need to understand to make a pilot successful?

Start Here: A Quick Snapshot of Your Day

• Which role best describes you? Options: OR Materials Manager / Coordinator, Central Sterile Processing (SPD) Director / Supervisor, Surgeon / Clinical Lead, Surgeon Preference Card Coordinator, Supply Chain / Procurement, Value Analysis / Clinical Engineering, Other
• How many operating rooms or suites does your team support? Options: 1–2, 3–5, 6–12, 13–24, 25+
• Approximately how many distinct instrument trays do you manage across specialties? Options: Fewer than 50, 50–150, 151–300, 301–600, 601+
• What typically triggers a decision to evaluate new instruments at your facility? Options: High failure/replacement rate, New surgeon/privilege request, Opening a new OR or specialty service, Regulatory/inspection issue, Efficiency/turnaround problems in SPD, Cost pressures, Other
• Tell us about a recent instrument-related incident: what happened, which procedure was affected, and how it felt to the team.

If We Keep Doing the Same Thing, What Will Break Next?

• Which single instrument or process failure do you expect will cause the next canceled or delayed case if not addressed? Options: Dull or misaligned hand instruments, Powered device failure (drill/saw), Missing instruments from a tray, Sterilization/WRAP failure, Tracking/traceability error, Tray configuration mismatch, Other
• How often do instrument problems cause unplanned OR delays or cancellations? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Rarely, Never
• Which failure modes do you see most often? (pick all that apply) Options: Edge dulling / loss of sharpness, Jaw misalignment / tension loss, Broken tips or springs, Corrosion / finish degradation, Missing or incorrect tray contents, Inadequate instrument marking/tracking, Sterilization damage, Other
• How long have those failure modes typically been present before someone escalates or replaces the instrument? Options: They are addressed immediately, A few months, 6–12 months, 1–2 years, We tend to live with them
• When these failures recur, what emotional or reputational impact does that create among surgeons, SPD, or leadership?
• Roughly what annual cost (direct + indirect) do you associate with instrument-related delays, repairs, or replacements? Options: <$10k, $10k–$50k, $50k–$150k, $150k–$500k, >$500k, Unsure / not tracked

Who’s Really Calling the Shots — and What Keeps Them Awake at Night?

• Which stakeholder’s approval or veto has surprised you most during past instrument decisions? Options: Lead Surgeon(s), Chief of Surgery / Department Chair, SPD Director, OR Materials Manager, Supply Chain / Purchasing, Value Analysis Committee (VAC), Infection Control / Sterile Processing Committee, Other
• For a change to instrument sets, which roles must explicitly sign off for clinical, financial, and SPD acceptance? (select all that apply) Options: Lead Surgeon(s), All participating surgeons, SPD Director / Supervisor, OR Manager / Materials Manager, Procurement / Supply Chain, Value Analysis Committee, Infection Control, Risk Management, Other
• What are the top three concerns you routinely hear from those stakeholders about switching instruments (list them briefly)?
• How aligned are clinical, SPD, and procurement timelines on typical equipment changes? Options: Fully aligned, Mostly aligned, Somewhat aligned, Rarely aligned, Not aligned at all
• When stakeholder opinions conflict, how is the final decision usually made? Options: Surgeon preference rules, VAC or clinical committee decision, Purchasing/finance veto, Pilot/trial results decide, Executive or hospital leadership decision, Other

Is SPD Being Asked to Do the Impossible?

• Which sterilization and reprocessing methods are validated for your instrument sets today? (select all that apply) Options: Steam autoclave (gravity or prevac), Low-temp hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Ethylene oxide (EtO), Peracetic acid / Steris, Washer-disinfector cycles, Manual cleaning / enzymatic soak, Other
• Do you use instrument tracking or traceability tools today? Options: RFID system in production, Barcode tracking, Manual log / paper tracking, Pilot program only, No tracking system
• How often do you run short of clean trays for scheduled cases? Options: Multiple times per week, Weekly, Monthly, Rarely, Never
• Describe a recent SPD workflow breakdown that caused a case impact and what you changed as a result.
• What type of training or support would make SPD confident handling a new instrument line? Options: On-site hands-on training by vendor, Train-the-trainer for SPD leadership, Short video modules and SOPs, Detailed written reprocessing protocols, Temporary vendor technician support during rollout, Other

If We Could Snap Our Fingers, What Would Success Actually Look Like?

• Which measurable targets would tell you a pilot is successful? (pick the domains that matter most) Options: OR uptime / reduced delays, SPD turnaround time, Instrument reliability cycles (sterilization life), Surgeon satisfaction / adoption rate, Cost per procedure / replacement rate, Tray completeness and accuracy, Reduction in repairs, Other
• For each selected target, what would be the minimum threshold that feels like 'success' (give numbers or percentages)?
• Within what timeframe during a pilot would you expect to see those success signals? Options: During initial trial cases, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9+ months
• Who absolutely must be convinced by pilot outcomes for you to proceed to full adoption? Options: Lead Surgeon(s), All participating surgeons, SPD Director, Value Analysis Committee, Procurement / Finance, Hospital Executive Sponsor, Other
• How would you define surgeon adoption in a measurable way (e.g., % of cases, number of surgeons, change to preference cards)? Options: >90% of cases / all surgeons, 70–90% of cases, 50–70% of cases, Pilot surgeons only with phased rollout, Other

Trials and Trust: What Usually Kills a Promising Demo?

• What is the single most common reason a hands-on trial fails to translate into adoption at your facility? Options: Surgeon preference inertia, Inadequate SPD support/training, Insufficient trial scope or cases, Poor documentation of results, Logistics / supply delays, Cost concerns, Other
• Describe your ideal trial setup: number of cases, specialties, simulated vs live, and who must be present.
• Which types of evidence most persuade your surgeons? (select all that apply) Options: Objective performance metrics, Durability / sterilization cycle data, Peer surgeon testimonials, Live OR demonstration, Simulated case success, Published clinical data, Other
• What operational supports must be in place before a trial begins to avoid early failure? Options: Spare trays on hand, SPD-approved reprocessing protocols, Vendor tech onsite, Surgeon orientation session, Clear acceptance criteria, Logistics and delivery plan, Other
• How do you prefer to capture and distribute trial feedback across stakeholders? Options: Structured survey with scores, Post-trial debrief meeting, Shared spreadsheet / tracker, EMR or case notes, Informal conversations, Other
• What would make a surgeon change their preference card after a successful trial?

Timing, Risks, and Small Things We Tend to Underestimate

• What is one overlooked risk you’ve seen derail a rollout in week one?
• What lead time or delivery window do you require for new instrument sets or replacement parts? Options: 1–2 weeks, 3–4 weeks, 1–2 months, 2–3 months, 3+ months, Varies by item
• Which internal approvals typically take the longest for equipment changes? Options: Value Analysis Committee (VAC), Infection Control sign-off, Procurement / Purchasing, Clinical Department approval, Budget / Finance sign-off, Executive sponsor approval, Other
• Do you have dedicated pilot funding available, or would a pilot require formal budget approval? Options: Pilot budget already allocated, Requires formal approval from finance, Use department operating funds, Unsure / depends on case, Other
• Are there regulatory, VAMC, or formulary constraints we should factor into planning a pilot or rollout?
• If we agreed on a pilot today, what is the earliest realistic start date you could commit to? Options: Immediately / within 1 week, 2–4 weeks, 1–2 months, 3+ months, Unsure

Getting to Know Your OR World

• Which surgical specialties and service lines do you actively manage instrument sets for? Options: Orthopedics, General Surgery, Cardiovascular, Neurosurgery, ENT, Gynecology, Urology, Ophthalmology, Plastic/Reconstructive, Ambulatory surgery center, Other
• Who on your team owns day-to-day decisions about instrument purchases, tray configuration, and SPD training? Options: OR Materials Manager, Sterile Processing Director/Manager, Surgeon preference card coordinator, Chief of Surgery, Purchasing / Supply Chain, Infection Prevention, Nursing Director, Other
• Roughly how many distinct procedure-specific trays do you maintain across the facility (ballpark is fine)? Options: < 25, 25–50, 51–100, 101–250, 250+
• Describe a typical week in your role—what takes most of your time with instruments and trays?
• When was the last time you initiated a major instrument refresh or new tray introduction, and what prompted it?

If Instruments Could Talk, What Would They Say?

• How many times in the last 30 days has an instrument issue (breakage, bluntness, missing piece) meaningfully disrupted a case or turnover? Options: None, 1–2 times, 3–5 times, 6–10 times, More than 10 times
• When instruments fail in your ORs, what usually happens next—and who ends up managing the fallout?
• Which failure modes cause you the most worry right now (pick all that apply)? Options: Edge dulling/poor cutting, Alignment/tension drift, Broken ratchets/locking mechanisms, Corrosion/staining after sterilization, Missing/broken tray components, Inconsistent instrument counts, Other
• How long have these kinds of failures been a recurring problem for you? Options: Just started in the last 3 months, 3–12 months, 1–3 years, 3+ years
• Tell me about a specific case when an instrument issue had serious operational or emotional consequences (what happened, and how did it feel for your team)?

What’s Silently Throttling Your SPD and Turnover?

• What single step in your sterilization/reprocessing workflow creates the most consistent delays or errors? Options: Decontamination/soaking, Manual cleaning/inspection, Assembly and instrument count, Sterilization cycle time, Cooling and sterile storage, Tray damage/repairs, Other
• How often do you experience tray shortages that force case rescheduling or use of mixed/partial trays? Options: Never, Rarely, Monthly, Weekly, Multiple times per week
• Which tools or systems do you use to track tray location, instrument service life, and turn-around times? Options: Paper preference cards, Electronic preference cards (EHR-integrated), Instrument tracking/RFID, Inventory management software, Biomed maintenance logs, No formal system, Other
• What metrics do you currently monitor to judge SPD performance and tray health? Options: Tray turnaround time, OR turnover time, Instrument failure rate, Number of missing instruments, Repair/replacement spend, Case cancellations, Surgeon complaints, Other
• How does SPD staffing and skill mix limit your ability to introduce new instruments or trays?

Who Really Calls the Shots — And Who’s Quietly Deciding No One’s Listening?

• Who ultimately signs off on adding new instruments to the formulary or preference card (pick all that participate)? Options: Value Analysis Committee, Chief of Surgery, Surgeon champion, Sterile Processing Director, Purchasing/Materials Management, Infection Prevention, OR Director, Other
• Who tends to be the biggest blocker when a change is proposed—what do they worry will be worse after a switch? Options: Surgeons (comfort/technique), SPD staff (cleaning complexity), Purchasing (cost), Administration (ROI), Sterility/IPC (protocol changes), Other
• If we aimed to secure a surgeon champion, what qualities or proof points would convince them to lead? Options: Hands‑on performance in a simulated case, Peer-reviewed data, Trial in low‑risk cases, Surgeon-to-surgeon reference, Minimal sterilization changes, Cost neutrality or savings, Other
• What is your realistic timeframe for a purchasing decision if a trial proves successful? Options: Immediate (0–3 months), Short (3–6 months), Moderate (6–12 months), Long (12+ months), Undetermined
• Who should be at the table for a pilot kickoff meeting to avoid surprise objections later?

If Trays Never Let You Down, What Changes?

• Imagine your most important procedure never experienced an instrument-related delay—what operational or clinical outcomes change first? Options: Fewer case cancellations, Shorter OR turnover, Improved surgeon satisfaction, Reduced replacement spend, Lower infection/complication risk, Other
• What measurable targets would make you call a trial a clear success (be specific: % improvements, times, counts)?
• Which of these adoption signals matter most to you in the first 90 days? Options: Surgeon sign‑off on preference cards, SPD acceptance sign‑off, Instrument failure rate reduction, Tray completeness ≥99%, No protocol deviations, Cost-per-case improvement
• How would improved instrument durability change your replacement budgeting or capital planning?
• What would your clinicians say if instrument performance improved as promised—how might it change referral patterns or satisfaction scores?

What Would Switching Actually Demand of Your Team?

• What sterilization, cleaning, or assembly steps would likely need to change if you introduced our instruments? Options: No change, Revised cleaning steps, Different cycle parameters, New assembly/checklist steps, Additional inspection points, Special handling for powered instruments, Other
• How much training does your SPD team realistically need to adopt a new tray set: a 1‑hour briefing, half‑day hands‑on, multi‑day certification, or shadowing during live cases? Options: 1‑hour briefing, Half‑day hands‑on, Multi‑day certification, On‑the‑job shadowing during cases, No training needed
• Which parts of your current tray configuration are non‑negotiable and must be preserved during any redesign?
• What logistical constraints (storage space, sterilizer capacity, OR layout) could block a rollout and how severe are they? Options: Not a constraint, Minor constraint, Moderate constraint, Major constraint
• If we asked for an acceptance criteria checklist for a pilot, what five items would you insist be included?

Small Bets That Prove Big Promises

• If you had to design a low‑risk pilot to convince skeptics, what would be your first move? Options: Simulated lab trial with SPD and surgeons, Single specialty live pilot (low-risk cases), Surgeon‑led proctoring in 3 cases, Hybrid simulated + live pilot, Data-only bench comparison, Other
• How long should a pilot run before you’d consider the data reliable (number of cases or duration)? Options: 3–5 cases, 6–10 cases, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months
• What evidence would you collect during the pilot to satisfy surgeons, SPD, and purchasing? Options: Instrument failure logs, Surgeon satisfaction ratings, Tray assembly time, Tray completeness rates, Sterilization cycle data, Cost-per-case analysis, Other
• Who needs to sign written approval to progress from pilot to formulary addition in your organization? Options: Value Analysis Committee, Surgeon champion, SPD Director, Procurement/Purchasing, Hospital Administration, Other
• What would make you stop a pilot early—what are your hard no‑go signals? Options: Instrument breakage in case, Surgeon rejects usability, SPD reports sterilization failures, Tray completeness <95%, Unexpected costs, Other

Timeline, Barriers, and How We’ll Work Together

• If this opportunity were mission-critical, what one problem would you fix first and why?
• What are your top three internal barriers to adopting a new instrument solution (people, process, technology, budget)?
• Which of these supports would make the transition easiest for your team? Options: Onsite SPD training, Surgeon proctoring in OR, Dedicated implementation manager, Loaner instrument sets, Detailed sterilization protocols, Data collection support, Other
• What communication cadence and channels work best for your stakeholders during a pilot and rollout? Options: Weekly email summary, Biweekly video check‑in, Onsite weekly touchpoint, Shared dashboard access, Ad hoc as needed, Other
• Given your constraints, how soon could you be ready to start a pilot if we aligned on scope and terms? Options: Immediately, Within 30 days, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, Not ready/Undetermined