Jhmeid Billingslea, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CST, CMRP, HACP-IC sees the Future of SPD – and it’s Not That Far Away

Surgical procedure
Surgical procedure
Jhmeid Billingslea, RCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CST, CMRP, HACP-IC, Managing Director of Surgical Services at Advantage Support Services

When a Sterile Processing Department (SPD) descends into noncompliance and all hope seems to be nearly lost – it’s Billingslea and his keen ability to envision and actualize a more prosperous future that they turn to.

Atlanta, Georgia – There are a million reasons why sterile processing departments (SPDs) might reach a point where they feel all hope of recovery – a return to calm, organized, fulfilling work – is lost.

Maybe staffing and recruitment is a challenge. Maybe there simply isn’t enough time to fully train staff on new products or standards of compliance. Maybe it’s been too long since the last education session, but there’s just too much work to get done. After all, even though sterile technicians rarely get the face time or renown that surgeons do, patients really do rely on them to save lives. There’s important work to get done.

These times can sometimes feel desperate. From inside the mess, it can be hard to see what the light at the end of the tunnel might look – or feel – like. That’s when you need someone to come in and say, “Keep calm, I see a way out of this. I see how this will be better in a year. Here’s what we need to do.”

That’s Jhmeid Billingslea’s forte.

Jhmeid Billingslea, RCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CST, CMRP, HACP-IC, Managing Director of Surgical Services at Advantage Support Services
Jhmeid Billingslea, RCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CST, CMRP, HACP-IC, Managing Director of Surgical Services at Advantage Support Services

“75% of my calls are not, ‘Hey, come look at us and see if we’re ready for accreditation.’ It’s ‘Hey, we just got a finding. Can you help us before we get closed down?’ said Billingslea.

Billingslea is the Managing Director of Surgical Services at Advantage Support Services, a provider of full-scale support services for surgical or sterile processing departments across the United States. The company helps healthcare facilities with staffing, process streamlining, compliance, accreditation, clinical assessments, and more.

“A lot of times when I first show up to a new facility, people are devastated. They’ve been beaten down. They know if their hospital loses accreditation, they’ll be out of a job, and they feel helpless,” said Billingslea. “One of the biggest hurdles is giving people hope again.”

“But I’ve seen the other end of it. I see the potential, and I know how to get there,” continued Billingslea. “When I see people come out the other side confident in their practice, that’s the most exciting thing for me.”

It’s true: Billingslea, RCST, CIS, CER, CHL, CST, CMRP, HACP-IC has never lost accreditation for a hospital or facility that was under accreditation threat when it came to him. He’s always been able to bring them into compliance in the short window of time he had to do so.

Sprinting into Danger; Emerging Stronger

Before his current role, Billingslea (among other things) was a surgical technology program manager and clinical coordinator at Anthem College in Atlanta. He was also a Leading Petty Officer for Surgical Services in the United States Navy (a position he earned after proving himself as a field medical technician and surgical technologist).

“I remember one of my clients asked me, ‘Is this the worst you’ve ever seen?’ said Billingslea. “The answer is always ‘absolutely not.’”

“This is especially true because the patterns are the same everywhere. Challenges with staffing, a lack of oversight, education, and training create variances in quality. Staff become overwhelmed. When there isn’t a quality program or oversight, and SPDs are running from fire to fire, it leaves room for many issues to occur.”

So, when it all seems so overwhelming, how do you even start?

“The secret is to always start with the problems that physicians and Operating Room (OR) teams see first,” said Billingslea. “What these professionals identify as problems take first priority because those are the problems that impact their daily operations and patients most directly. As a support department, that has to be my first focus.”

According to Billingslea, another imperative part of transforming an SPD or gaining accreditation is breaking down the process into what can be done today, what can be done in two weeks, what can be done in one month, and so on.

“The process can often be easier than expected, but what makes it hard is when we don’t start doing what we need to do today,” said Billingslea. “Say I offer a solution that we can implement tonight to fix an ongoing problem. Sometimes I get a ‘no.’ That resistance to change and holding on to previous beliefs is one of the biggest challenges to growth.”

Technology Propelling the Industry

Bilingslea’s ability to see beyond how things are and determine how they should be extends far beyond the work that is in front of him at the moment. It spans decades.

“I blame it on the cartoons I watched when I was little,” said Billingslea. “I thought we would have flying cars by now. I’m just waiting for the button that I press and dinner comes.”

Billingslea is thrilled about the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to advance surgical practice and surgical instrument sterilization. Though he admits that while many advancements have been integrated into surgical technology, AI hasn’t quite made its way to the sterilization side of the coin.

“I have a pair of AI-enhanced glasses, and I know the use of them in surgery is becoming increasingly popular. I always wonder, why don’t we have these for sterile processing? Technology can be our guardrail. It can bring to light inefficiencies and little missteps we might have missed otherwise,” said Billingslea.

While he waits (im)patiently for AI to make its way to sterile processing, he tinkers and remains excited about the technology that’s out there now. One thing he always recommends to SPDs is robotic arm instrument protector cards.

“I love robotic arm protector cards. We always want our customers to use them,” said Billingslea. “There’s often a lot of back and forth about the requirements for storage of robotic arms. And we know that if there is a pierced peel pouch for a robotic arm, it costs much more money than you would think. From within the surgery reimbursement cycle, you just missed a whole opportunity for another use because there was a piercing. Plus, you don’t want to be wondering if everything is still contained in the peel pack when you go upstairs.”

At the end of the day, all of Billingslea’s drive and talent boils down to a simple sense of purpose.

“What I love is simple. I love helping people,” said Billingslea. “I’m an educator at heart, so all I want is to help people. I have a secret mission to fix every facility in the United States. That’s what my drive is.”

SterileBits: People-First Solutions

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To learn more about Billingslea’s work at Advantage Support Services, visit the website here.