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Sterilizing medical equipment that is used to collect patient samples or treat medical conditions can play a crucial role in the health outcomes of patients. Sterilized equipment helps prevent the spread of bacterial and viral agents that can make an already tenuous health outlook even more so by complicating the patient’s original malady with yet another one.

This is why hospitals, healthcare centers, and doctors offices use custom sterile labels for medical equipment that must be sterilized before use. If your organization is in the market for sterile labels for medical equipment, and you need some additional information before you place an order, check out the answers to the following frequently asked questions about using custom sterile labels for medical equipment.

What justifies the use of custom labels instead of readymade labels?
Using custom labels is justified if you can’t find stock labels that meet the needs of your sterilization system. Several factors can indicate the need for a custom solution, such as temporary labels that peel away easily, labels that have unique information fields, and labels that are designed for use in cold conditions, to name just a few.

Will I spend more on custom labels that I would spend on stock labels?
How much you spend ultimately depends on the company you use as a label supplier. With that said, most suppliers strive to keep price points for custom labels at or near price points for stock labels. Ordering custom labels instead of stock labels shouldn’t make a significant impact on your organization’s operating budget and should save money since the proper label will help reduce waste.

What basic information should a label provide about sterilized equipment?
In addition to special information that is unique to your needs, the label should ideally contain five pieces of information, as needed: date of sterilization, name of technician, required cleaning method(s), changes in equipment that occur due to sterilization and could impact the equipment’s safety or effectiveness, and the number of times equipment can be sterilized and used without compromising its safety or effectiveness.

My current labels are difficult to remove. How can I solve this problem?
Solving the problem could be as simple as using “temporary” labels, which are designed to stay in place yet peel away with ease, instead of permanent labels, which are designed to stay permanently. If your equipment can be resterilized and reused many times, using temporary labels is a good way to expedite the label removal and reapplication process.

Should I apply sterile labels to equipment that’s designed for single use?
Because sterile equipment that is intended for single use typically arrives already sterilized and states this fact clearly on the product label, applying custom sterile labels to the equipment would be redundant. However, if the equipment must be sterilized before use, then it should have a sterile label that states the equipment is ready for use.

Let Us Supply Your Custom Sterile Labels
As a longtime supplier of custom labeling solutions for pharmacies, hospitals, and other organizations associated with healthcare , Shamrock Labels is perfectly positioned to provide you with custom sterile labels that meet the unique requirements of your sterilization system for medical equipment. We can also answer any and all questions you have about custom sterile labels to help you make the most informed purchase.

To inquire about our custom labeling solutions or to place an order call us today at (800) 323-0249. Our Design a Label is another tool that will help your team explore endless possibilities. We look forward to supplying you with best in class sterile labeling solutions!