Endoscope disinfection inspection was ‘inadequate’ and disposable accessories were reused in 593 places… “Shock” < Life < Text of article

Although the number of checkups using endoscopes is increasing every year, it is shocking to see that there are close to 600 national health checkup institutions that have insufficient management of endoscope equipment.

According to data submitted by People Power Party lawmaker Baek Jong-heon, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, from the National Health Insurance Corporation on the 23rd, in the inspection of gastric and colonoscope disinfection at 28,783 examination institutions where national health examinations were conducted from 2019 to September of this year, It was revealed that 593 places, or 2.1%, were judged ‘unsuitable’.

The institution was found to have violated regulations by not properly cleaning or disinfecting endoscope instruments or reusing disposable accessories.

By type of endoscope, a total of 375 medical institutions were found to be inadequate in the disinfection inspection of gastrointestinal endoscope equipment. Of these, 311, or 82.9%, were clinic-level medical institutions.

In the case of colonoscopy, 218 places were judged inappropriate in the instrument disinfection inspection. Of these, 167, or 76.6%, were also clinic-level medical institutions.

The amount charged for cleaning and disinfecting endoscopic instruments increased by 16.1% from KRW 74.1 billion in 2019 to KRW 82.9 billion in 2023.

According to the National Health Insurance Corporation’s disinfection manual, most disinfectants used to disinfect endoscopes can be reused. However, if the disinfectant solution is used repeatedly for a long period of time, the disinfection effect may decrease, so disinfectant solutions that do not maintain the minimum effective concentration or disinfectant solutions that have expired must be discarded.

However, the current notice only stipulates the exposure time, type, and cleaning method of disinfectant, raising criticism that the content related to disposal of disinfectant must be supplemented.

Rep. Baek said, “There is a risk that patients undergoing endoscopic examinations may contract diseases due to excessive reuse of disinfectant solutions and use of endoscopic instruments that are not properly disinfected.” He added, “The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service are revising guidelines for the reuse and disposal of endoscope disinfectant solutions. “We need to strengthen management and supervision of endoscope disinfection status,” he emphasized.