Many hospitals are testing their water.
But far fewer are prepared for what happens next.
What do you do when a result comes back out of range?
Who makes the decision?
How quickly does action happen?
These are the questions that often go unanswered (even by most water treatment companies)—and where risk begins to build.
Testing Alone Doesn’t Reduce Risk
Water testing is an important part of any sterile processing program.
But testing, by itself, does not reduce risk.
Only action reduces risk.
Without a defined response:
- Results sit in reports
- Decisions are delayed
- Responsibility becomes unclear
- Problems persist
And in sterile processing, delays don’t stay isolated—they ripple downstream into operations and patient care.
What ST108 Is Really Requiring
ANSI/AAMI ST108 goes beyond simply requiring water testing.
It introduces the expectation that organizations must be able to respond consistently and effectively when results fall outside of acceptable ranges.
This includes:
- Defined thresholds for action
- Clear escalation pathways
- Documented corrective actions
- Accountability for follow-through
In other words:
Testing must lead to decisions.
Decisions must lead to action.
Without that chain, compliance is incomplete.
The Most Overlooked Gap
Across many healthcare organizations, the pattern looks the same:
- Water is tested
- Results are delivered
- Uncertainty follows
Teams are left asking:
- Is this result critical?
- Can we continue processing instruments?
- What needs to be fixed—and how quickly?
- Who is responsible for taking action?
This uncertainty leads to inconsistency.
And inconsistency leads to risk.
Insight from the Field: Bridging the Decision Gap
According to Renee Vander Weele, Director of Clinical Services at VERDA, this is one of the most common challenges hospitals face as they work toward ST108 compliance.
“What we often see is that teams have the data—but they don’t always have the clarity or confidence to act on it quickly. Without defined response protocols, even small issues can linger longer than they should.”
With her background in sterile processing, infection prevention, and clinical leadership, Renee brings a critical perspective:
Water quality decisions are not just technical—they are clinical and operational decisions.
And they need to be treated with the same urgency and structure.
Why Traditional Approaches Fall Short
Most water service providers are not designed to support decision-making at this level.
They can:
- Install and service equipment
- Provide water testing results
But they typically do not:
- Interpret results in a clinical context
- Guide response prioritization
- Support cross-functional decision-making
Because those capabilities require a deep understanding of sterile processing workflows—not just water systems.
From Data to Action: A Structured Approach
Effective water quality management requires more than information.
It requires a system for turning information into action.
That means:
- Clearly defined response protocols
- Pre-established thresholds and triggers
- Cross-department alignment
- Rapid escalation when needed
When these elements are in place, organizations can move from uncertainty to control.
The Operational Impact of Acting Quickly
When hospitals have clear response protocols and act quickly on water quality issues:
Risk Is Reduced
Issues are addressed before they impact instruments or workflows.
Costs Are Controlled
Fewer repeated failures, less rework, and reduced downtime.
Operational Performance Improves
Teams operate with clarity and confidence instead of hesitation.
Patient Outcomes Are Protected
Water quality issues are resolved before they affect the safety of reprocessed instruments.
Back to the Bigger Picture
Testing without a response plan is like running diagnostic tests on a patient—and then doing nothing with the results.
The data may be accurate.
But without action, the outcome doesn’t change.
ST108 is pushing hospitals to close that gap.
The VERDA Perspective
At VERDA, we view testing as just the beginning.
What matters most is:
- What the data means
- What action is required
- How quickly that action happens
Because water quality management isn’t about collecting information.
It’s about controlling outcomes.
The Bottom Line
ST108 isn’t about collecting more data.
It’s about making better decisions—and acting on them.
Without defined response protocols, even the best testing programs fall short.
Because in sterile processing, knowing there’s a problem isn’t enough.
What matters is what you do next.