The pace may be different, but the goal is exactly the same: delivering safe surgical care. In this week's special season co-release episode, we talk with Carlene Smith about what surgical site infection prevention looks like in ambulatory surgery centers. As someone who's worked in Sterile Processing, Infection Prevention, and the OR, Carlene shares her unique perspective on the challenges ASC teams face every day. From balancing limited resources and shared responsibilities to identifying small gaps before they become bigger problems, she discusses how ASC teams can stay proactive while keeping patient safety at the center of every workflow. No matter where surgical care happens, this conversation is a reminder that infection prevention starts with strong teamwork.

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#FirstCase #TransmissionControl #OperatingRoom #InfectionPrevention #SiloFreeSurgery #SterileProcessing #Collaboration #AmbulatorySurgeryCenter #ASC

Could the biggest opportunities to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) be the ones you've stopped noticing? In this week's special season co-release episode, Garrett Hollembeak sits down with Crystal Heishman for a conversation about seeing SSI prevention through a different lens. With experience spanning Infection Prevention, Sterile Processing, and the Operating Room, Crystal shares how stronger collaboration can help teams identify risks before they affect patient safety. She explains why spending time in the OR, asking thoughtful questions, and understanding workflows builds trust, uncovers hidden opportunities for improvement, and helps teams focus on process deviations -- not "gotcha" moments. If stronger collaboration starts with stronger conversations, this episode offers practical ideas you can take back to your next huddle.

Make sure to follow First Case and Transmission Control on your favorite podcast app, LinkedIn, and Facebook so you never miss an episode!

#FirstCase #TransmissionControl #OperatingRoom #InfectionPrevention #SiloFreeSurgery #SterileProcessing #Collaboration #Trust #ProcessImprovement #Podcast

What keeps you up at night when it comes to preventing surgical site infections (SSIs)? In this week's special season co-release episode, Jeremy Gibson-Roark returns to join hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Lindsey Joyce for a conversation about moving from reactive investigations to proactive prevention. Together, they explore why infection prevention plans should be living documents, how stronger collaboration between OR and IP teams uncovers risks before they become problems, and why some of the best ideas come from simply asking frontline teams the right questions. If preventing SSIs starts with working together, this conversation shows how stronger partnerships can lead to safer patient care!

If you missed Part 1 of this conversation, tune in here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/firstcase/TC_Ep5_1.mp3

Make sure to follow First Case and Transmission Control on your favorite podcast app, LinkedIn, and Facebook so you never miss an episode!

#FirstCase #TransmissionControl #OperatingRoom #InfectionPrevention #SiloFreeSurgery #SSI #Prevention #Education #Podcast