Abstract: A cassette handling system for sterilant filled cassettes employs RFID or other electromagnetic signal technology to track the cassettes. A method for tracking the sterilant cassettes includes the steps of reading for the presence of a cassette within a cassette processing area of the sterilizer by transmitting a non-optical electromagnetic signal between the cassette and a receiver on the sterilizer, via the electromagnetic signal transmitting identifying information between the cassette and the receiver, and verifying that a proper cassette is loaded into the sterilizer based upon the identifying information.

Abstract: A container provides for soaking medical instruments. The container includes a basin for receiving one or more medical instruments, a fill level sensor for detecting presence of a soaking substance at a minimum fill level, a lid closure sensor which detects closure of a lid onto the basin, and a timer adapted to begin a timing sequence when both the fill lever sensor detects presence of the soaking substance at the minimum fill level and the lid closure sensor detects closure of the lid. Proper soaking of the instruments prior to a full cleaning procedure improves the reliability of the cleaning procedure.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating hand decontamination compliance in a medical care facility includes a plurality of patient stations; a plurality of hand hygiene stations; personnel tags for personnel in the medical care facility; readers at the patient stations and at the hand hygiene stations capable of detecting the presence of personnel tags; and a controller for detecting whether a personnel tag accessed a hand decontamination station before presence at one of the patient stations. In an alternate embodiment, personnel tags of healthcare workers and patients are tracked in space within the facility to indicate contacts between the healthcare workers and the patients and whether the healthcare workers accessed hand hygiene prior to the contact. Hand hygiene stations include hand washing stations and antimicrobial hand rub dispensers.