Webinar: Focus on Patient Safety: Quality Management in the SPD & AI-Enabled Quality Improvement in the OR by Access Intelligence, LLC

Focus on Patient Safety: Quality Management in the SPD & AI-Enabled Quality Improvement in the OR

About

Join us for an information-packed double-feature webinar that will focus on how quality improvements in both the OR and SPD can enhance patient safety.

Quality Matters: Building a High-Performance Sterile Processing Department
Every sterile processing department (SPD) must achieve three primary goals related to patient safety: Instruments must be Available, Functional and Safe for Use (AFS) for each patient. To achieve AFS, four key variables must be maximized; number of staff, staff proficiency, equipment/supplies/facilities, and efficiency. Shortages in any of these variables will lead to negative impacts on AFS. A Quality Management System (QMS), which overarches AFS and its four variables, is necessary for the SPD to understand how well it is performing from a patient safety perspective. Our panelists will describe a collaboration between a large health system and operating room services provider SpecialtyCare that reduced the SPD error rate from a high of 22.5% negatively affected cases to an average of approximately 1%.

AI-Enabled Quality Improvement in the OR
A leader at Stanford Health Care will share how Stanford uses objective procedural evidence to support patient safety and quality improvement. Using Aimbient’s procedural AI platform, Stanford has built a recurring, multidisciplinary review process that helps teams move beyond documentation and recollection to a shared understanding of procedural care. The program has grown from roughly 40 participants to more than 400 and has supported changes in areas including specimen handling, retained-object workflows, hemorrhage response, universal protocol, and closed-loop communication. Panelists will discuss the governance, clinician trust, and follow-through required to turn evidence into action.

60-minutes

When

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (US & Canada) (GMT -4:00)

Presenters

Joe Paone

Content Director, Healthcare, Periop Leader Network | Access Intelligence

Joe Paone is content director of Periop Leader Network and Periop Leader Week, both of which he joined in November 2025. Previously, he served as senior editor of AORN’s Outpatient Surgery Magazine from 2019 to 2025. Prior to entering the healthcare sector, he covered consumer electronics and information technology for numerous publications.

Gregory Agoston, BS, MBA, CRCST, LSS

Vice President, Client Services, SpecialtyCare

Gregg Agoston brings more than 36 years of leadership experience in the healthcare industry, with a career dedicated to improving surgical safety, operational performance, and sterile processing excellence. As Vice President, Client Services at SpecialtyCare, Gregg leads national initiatives that transform CS/SPD departments into high reliability, high impact teams that directly elevate patient outcomes and OR efficiency. A recognized voice in the field, Gregg has contributed to numerous publications and industry discussions highlighting the critical role of a well-functioning sterile processing department—and the significant risks hospitals face when quality, training, and workflow standards fall behind. His work centers on modernizing SPD operations, strengthening competency pathways, and driving measurable improvements in instrument readiness, safety, and throughput. Gregg’s passion is helping hospitals build sustainable, high-performing sterile processing environments that protect patients, support surgical teams, and reduce preventable errors. His decades of experience, combined with SpecialtyCare’s national reach and resources, position him as a leading advocate for elevating SPD performance across the country.

Karen Rutt, MSN, MBA, MHA, CPAN, NE-BC, CSSM

System Director, Perioperative Services, Tower Health

Karen Rutt is an accomplished healthcare executive serving as System Director of Perioperative Services. With extensive experience in surgical services, clinical operations, and healthcare leadership, she provides strategic and operational oversight of perioperative programs across the health system. Her leadership focuses on advancing patient-centered care, optimizing operational performance, and fostering a culture of quality, safety, and innovation. Karen is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to develop high-performing teams that deliver exceptional clinical and operational outcomes. She works closely with physicians, nursing leaders, and interdisciplinary teams to improve efficiency, enhance the patient experience, and support organizational goals. Karen is a graduate of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing and holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Master of Health Administration (MHA) from the University of Phoenix. Her educational background provides a unique blend of clinical expertise, business acumen, and healthcare administration knowledge. Karen holds the Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN), Nurse Executive Board Certified (NE-BC), and Certified Surgical Services Manager (CSSM) credentials, reflecting her commitment to excellence in perioperative nursing, healthcare leadership, and surgical services management. She maintains a strong dedication to professional development, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, patient safety, and workforce engagement. Passionate about developing future healthcare leaders and advancing surgical care delivery, Karen remains dedicated to driving innovation, continuous improvement, and exceptional outcomes for patients, caregivers, and the communities she serves.

Caroline Kalbaugh, MPH

Customer Success Manager, Aimbient

Caroline is a healthcare leader with more than 10 years of experience in perioperative nursing, clinical operations, leadership, and quality improvement. Her career includes frontline and leadership roles at Duke University Hospital, where she served in roles for both the main operating room and pediatric operating room. As a Customer Success Manager at Aimbient, Caroline works closely with healthcare organizations to turn operational insights into actionable strategies that support performance improvement and stronger perioperative outcomes. She brings a unique perspective shaped by both clinical experience and strategic partnership, allowing her to connect real-world challenges with practical opportunities for improvement. Caroline is passionate about advancing perioperative performance through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.

Britomar Gomez, MSN, RN, HMCT-RA, LSSBB

Director – Interventional Platform Clinical Effectiveness & Professional Development, Stanford Health Care

Brit is a healthcare leader with more than 15 years of experience in nursing, clinical education, professional development, quality improvement, and operational leadership. Her career includes emergency and critical care nursing, peri-anesthesia education, and progressive leadership roles at Stanford Health Care. As Director of Interventional Platform Clinical Effectiveness & Professional Development at Stanford Health Care, Brit leads initiatives focused on clinical effectiveness, professional development, multidisciplinary collaboration, and continuous improvement across the interventional environment. She brings a unique perspective that combines frontline clinical experience, education, and Lean Six Sigma methodology to strengthen care delivery and patient outcomes. Brit is passionate about building high-performing teams, advancing professional development, and creating sustainable improvements that support both healthcare professionals and the patients they serve.

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