Laoken Healthcare Advances High-Quality Development of Sterilization Supply through Industry-Academia Collaboration and Launch of Innovative Textbook

Recently, the first set of medical sterile supply teaching materials in China based on nursing vocational specialties, *Introduction to Medical Sterile Supply*, was officially published and released. This marks the formal entry of China’s theoretical framework for medical sterile supply and the training of specialized professionals into higher vocational education, both academically and practically. The textbook series was jointly initiated by Sichuan Nursing Vocational College and Laoken Medical, and co-authored by 32 leading experts in the fields of sterile supply and nursing education in China, including Gong Yuxiu, Ye Qinglin, Zhang Xiangeng, Huang Hao, Chen Minghua, Yao Yongping, Lu Jie, Wu Yinghong, and Liu Xia. It received strong support from medical, healthcare, and sterile supply experts at institutions such as Sichuan Nursing Vocational College, Sichuan Provincial Health and Family Planning Supervision and Law Enforcement General Team, Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, West China School of Stomatology of Sichuan University, West China Second University Hospital (Women’s and Children’s Hospital), Peking University People’s Hospital, and Chengdu Sixth People’s Hospital, as well as from industry-leading enterprises such as Laoken Medical.

In recent years, with the rapid advancement of medical technologies and the promulgation and implementation of industry standards for sterile supply, the specialty of sterile supply and Medical Sterile Supply Centers (MSSCs) have ushered in unprecedented development opportunities. Particularly against the backdrop of normalized COVID-19 prevention and control, MSSCs have further highlighted their fundamental and critical role in public health infection prevention and control. Although the state has issued corresponding basic standards and management specifications for medical sterile supply, there is an urgent need for improvement in areas such as process optimization, quality control, and sterilization management, due to a shortage of specialized professionals in this field.

The publication of this textbook holds significant practical importance for strengthening talent development, professional capacity building, and industry growth in the medical sterile supply sector. It actively implements national policies on the integration of industry and education, as well as the basic standards and management specifications for Medical Sterile Supply Centers, thereby promoting the specialized development of the industry. Richly illustrated and integrating theory with practice, this textbook features highly targeted, scientific, and feasible content. It provides learning and practical guidance for professionals in nursing, clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and related fields, offering technical and quality support for medical sterile supply services across China.

Based on industry standards for hospital sterilization supply departments, the Basic Standards for Medical Sterilization Supply Centers (Trial), and the Management Specifications for Medical Sterilization Supply Centers (Trial), this Introduction systematically summarizes practical work experience to provide a comprehensive overview of the establishment, operation, and development of medical sterilization supply centers, with detailed analysis and discussion of key processes. The book comprises eight chapters: Introduction, Fundamental Knowledge Related to Sterilization Supply, Infrastructure Development of Sterilization Supply Centers, Basic Facilities and Equipment for Sterilization Supply Centers, Commonly Used Medical Devices, Instrument Processing, Quality Monitoring in Sterilization Supply, and Occupational Exposure and Protection. It focuses on fundamental knowledge related to sterilization supply centers, layout and workflow, as well as standard operating procedures, workflows, troubleshooting, and maintenance for each area. Emphasizing the integration of industry and education and the combination of learning and practice, the book highlights the training of professionals and discipline construction in the field of medical sterilization supply, holding significant practical relevance and application value for comprehensively promoting the specialization, corporatization, and standardization of medical sterilization supply services.

China has a large number of primary healthcare institutions with limited medical resources. The quality of disinfection and sterilization for reusable diagnostic and therapeutic instruments and items varies significantly, leading to occasional nosocomial infections among patients during medical visits. Over the years, thanks to the relentless efforts of health administrative departments at all levels, medical and health institutions, professionals in sterile supply services, and experts, the aforementioned situation has improved. In 2018, the promulgation and implementation of the Basic Standards for Medical Disinfection and Supply Centers (Trial) and the Management Specifications for Medical Disinfection and Supply Centers (Trial) provided clear standards and regulations for the establishment and management of such centers. However, China still lacks standardized and refined teaching materials for professional talent development and discipline construction in the field of medical disinfection and supply centers.

Liu Xia, Chairwoman of LaoKen Medical and one of the key initiators of this textbook, stated that as a pioneer in China’s medical sterilization supply centers, LaoKen Medical deeply recognizes the critical importance of standardized education for the industry’s standardized and refined development. By collaborating with domestic experts in healthcare and hospital sterilization supply, and integrating LaoKen Medical’s years of practical experience in sterilization supply with advanced domestic and international concepts and control methods, the Introduction to Sterilization Supply reflects the collective efforts of stakeholders across industry, academia, research, and application. This work provides a comprehensive and systematic exposition of knowledge related to medical sterilization supply, offering strong guidance and practical applicability. It holds significant reference value for the national layout, process optimization, and efficient management of LaoKen’s sterilization supply centers across China.

“Introduction to Medical Sterile Supply,” reviewed by Professor Ye Qinglin, stated that the publication of this book will lay a teaching foundation for training professionals in medical sterile supply, promote the implementation of national policies on integration of industry and education, strongly advance the specialized development of medical sterile supply, and ultimately benefit the development of China’s medical sterile supply sector.