Central Sterile
Processing Unit

PROJECT DETAILS

Phase II of the ongoing Level 1 Trauma Center Operating Room Upgrade at Ben Taub Hospital focused on the relocation and expansion of the Central Sterile Processing (CSP) unit, a critical component of surgical care. The CSP is responsible for sterilizing and preparing medical equipment, organizing trays and carts, and ensuring that operating rooms have timely access to the tools required for each procedure. Delays or inefficiencies in this area can compromise scheduled surgeries and patient outcomes.

In its newly expanded 8,000-square-foot space, now located directly across from the upgraded Surgical Suite, the CSP unit significantly improves operational efficiency. Its adjacency to the new ORs allows for faster, more organized transport of case carts and supplies. The design includes storage for specialty and emergency carts, anesthesia supplies, and automated medication and supply dispensing units. A new work area provides a functional space for staff operations and logistics.

A key feature of the new design is a dedicated corridor that allows staff to return soiled case carts while maintaining separation from clean supplies. The Clean Cart Staging area supports this flow and includes a tray pass-through door, enabling staff to quickly access clean instruments not included in case carts. These upgrades contribute to a safer, more reliable surgical environment and enhance the hospital’s capacity to meet the demands of its Level 1 Trauma designation.

This work is part of a broader initiative to improve Ben Taub’s trauma and surgical facilities, which also includes the addition of seven new operating rooms, two of which are hybrid suites, and a new Post-Anesthesia Care Unit.