This is a list indicating and explaining updates to SteriReader. These will be the changes as the software evolves, to help understand what they are between revisions of the User Manual video + PDF document.
These are listed reverse-chronologically, with what I’m working on most recently at the top of the list.
13 June 2022
Again, it’s been a while. I’ve kept busy with development.
Here are some of the new features and improvements of SteriReader (and SteriRecall, at the bottom of this entry) since the last updates (v1.0.0.5). Each new installation since the release of v1.0.0.5 has included whatever new features I’ve been working on; I’ve taken the feedback and I think I’ve banged out all of the kinks. Some of you have had these functions for longer than others, but everyone now has them as part of v1.0.0.6 and they seem to be working well.
New functions:
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1. Photo Records
Take a pic of your Class V strips and Helix wafers. Each pic is stamped with the date, sterilizer, load number and verification.
Use any webcam, including built-in ones.
Photos are stored and accessed in the Cycle Log database and can be retrieved and printed at any time.
(I’ve also included this function in SteriSpore and SteriSpore24, to take photo records of tested spore vials, for those who would like to do so.)
2. Cleaning cycle logging
To tag a cycle as a cleaning cycle, from within Labels, select Cleaning (the last item in Panel 8 of the labels). It’s important to select that label only.
Each cleaning cycle is stored in a separate database, for immediate retrieval.
3. Separate databases
Individual databases for cycle logs, error logs, maintenance logs, daily summaries.
Any record can be retrieved on demand and printed, through Settings | View Logs.
4. Equipment Maintenance and Logging
Online access for manufacturers instructions for regular maintenance of any sterilizer in use in dental offices.
Maintenance logging for up to 60 different regular office tasks, such as sterilizer cleaning cycles, environmental cleaning, IPAC meetings, etc.
5. TransLoggers and micro SD
The new WiFi TransLoggers store cycle logs on a uSD card as a redundant measure.
SteriReader can automatically upload and sort cycle logs stored on its micro SD, which become available through the Cycle Log database in Settings | View Logs.
6. Online Instructions
I’ve made short pictorial tutorials for the various functions of SteriReader.
They’re great for reference or if you ever run into trouble.
Accesssible through Settings | Instructions.
7. Autoverification
You can set SteriReader to automatically verify a cycle once it’s completed, provided there are no errors.
Toggle the function by double-ckicking on the Sterilizer name (above the Reset button). A green box will appear over the Verified By pull-down box.
This function essentially minimizes your work to selecting labels before the cycle; everything else will simply run on its own as long as there are no errors.
If Autoverification is active, it will be prioritized over Go-Home-Early (see below).
SteriReader must be left running (ie, at the end of the day) for this function to verify the last load of the day, once you’ve gone home.
8. Go-Home-Early
Use this function to autoverify the last load of the day, after you’ve gone home.
For this to work, a time for the overall daily summary must be set under Settings | Set Schedules | Set End of Day Report Time. Set that time to occur well after the cycle would be complete.
Toggle the function by double-clicking the Status label (over the Connect/Disconnect button). A yellow box will appear over the Verified By pull-down box indicating the function is active. Ideally, activate this function a few loads before the last one.
Go-Home-Early will be deactivated if Autoverification is activated (it makes sense, if you think about it).
Improvements:
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1. Define Instrument List
The instruments in Settings | Define Instrument List are colour coded, based on their length.
Some offices have run into trouble as labels will not print if the instrument name is too long.
Yellow indicates “getting long” and red indicates “too long.” Edit the instrument name until its box is white.
When you save your edited instrument list, each individual word will be capitalized and any spaces will be removed.
Consider removing hyphens to minimize the instrument name length.
2. Force Verification
Made to run smoother.
3. Cloud Storage
Made to run smoother, but requires a hotmail.com or outlook.com account, instead of Gmail.
4. View Logs
The interface is simpler to use. Double-click on year, month, date, etc, instead of using a pull-down calendar to select a date.
Added a button to display day-of recorded logs.
5. Data Transmission
The software has been set to trigger data display at certain events during a cycle. Sometimes, these triggers can be missed by WiFi interference, etc. It may seem like nothing is happening, but the data is still there. If an event in the cycle is missed, the data will still be displayed, at the next event in the cycle, meaning, that it may seem that nothing happens at the start of the cycle, but the data will suddenly show later on.
6. Constant WiFi Connection
If SteriReader becomes disconnected to your TransLoggers through WiFi, it will keep trying to connect until it is re-established.
If you click Disconnect, it will immediately reconnect.
If the TransLogger cannot connect to your WiFi, it will try to re-establish a connection 5x every 2 minutes until it does so. However, if it cannot, it will enter SD mode only, meaning that it will not transmit anything for the 2 minutes, but will still record the cycle data on its micro SD card, as a safety net for you.
You can refresh or test the connection to your TransLogger at any time by clicking the Connect/Disconnect button a few times. The TransLogger will give its “happy” chirp once reconnected and flash its IP address.
7. Ideal Practices with TransLoggers
If possible, it is a great practice to disconnect your TransLoggers from power at the end of the week (if there are no cycles still to record), or at least every so often, just to give them a little break. They can run constantly for numerous months at a time, however.
When you reconnect the TransLogger to power, it will cycle up and give its “working” double beep as it attempts a WiFi connection. It will give its “happy” chirp once reconnected.
Also, please consider clearing the uSD card once a month. See Settings | Instructions about how to do so. Use Settings | Micro SD | Download Files to do so – it is done automatically for you and will clear the uSD.
Please be careful when handling the uSD. To eject it from the TransLogger, gently push it in until you feel the click, then remove it. To re-insert it, make sure it’s aligned and gently push it in until you feel the click.
Soft reset: you can reset the TransLogger by ejecting and re-inserting the uSD card. This will cause it to cycle up and attempt WiFi reconnection.
Hard reset: do this if the white light on its top side is constantly on. This means your TransLogger has chocked on some data and is stuck. Disconnect the power cord and reconnect after 10 seconds. It will cycle up and attempt WiFi reconnection, indcated by its “working” double beep, then will give its “happy” chirp once reconnected.
Consider using a signal booster if your router is more than 10m away from your steri centre, or if your TransLogger is deep within the sterilizer cabinets, potenitally shielded. Sometimes, even a good WiFi signal (as measured in the steri centre) can be diminished at the TransLogger if it’s obscured by the metal sterilizer case, cabinet walls, other equipment, etc.
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SteriRecall
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You may notice a Copy button above the New Patient button.
This will allow you to copy used instruments into a patient chart.
The way it works is to pull up a patient name, then click Copy.
Minimize SteriRecall, go to the patient chart, place the cursor where you would start a chart entry then hit ctrl-V to paste the item list. Save the entry.
This will only work day-of; you can paste the items for that particular patient only on the day the items were scanned. You cannot backtrack or paste yesterdays items.
This is a little redundant, but satisfies those who follow the rules to the letter. You can still search the Recall database, as always, for a faster, error-free result.
28 June 2021
It’s been a while, but I haven’t slacked off. I’ve added a lot of upgrades to all software, like improved/easier data retrieval and smoothed out program flow. Most importantly, I’ve been crazy busy with the support structure for the new TransLoggers, which are out there and are in use. These are the WiFi modules that replace the wireless transmitters. They store data to a microSD card at the same time. This essentially makes SteriReader bulletproof – there is no way that you can ever miss a cycle. I’m really happy with the security features.
Since TransLoggers are universal and can work with every autoclave I’ve been able to get my hands on, I’ve made them available for general use, stand-alone from SteriSimple, at 1/4 the price of other data loggers out there. I’ve written software for file organization for these devices (the software is also cleverly called TransLogger) to make things even easier.
The upgrades to the SteriSimple System modules are planned to be released very soon.
8 March 2021 – upgrade going into v1.0.0.6
I’ve added instant tracking of error logs. SteriReader will save error logs in a separate database and you can search them just as you do for cleaning and maintenance logs. Error logs document the error code PLUS what it means in English. So if you’re ever inspected and they ask for your most recent error logs with documentation, it’s literally a few clicks away.
11 January 2021 – upgrade going into v1.0.0.6
I’ve improved the search function for Cleaning cycle logs. Instead of entering a date to search for logs, it will display a list of existing logs. Double-click through year – month – day and find the cleaning cycle log you want.
30 December 2020 – transmitter upgrades
The current transmitter (v2.0) has proven to be quite reliable, but there is room for improvement. There are new versions (v3.0) in production – these ones connect via WiFi and have a screen and micro SD card slot built into them. I’ve nailed down the security features, but I’m not totally in love with them yet. Testing is good, but I need to be sure of the details of staying connected over long spans of “nothing” time – sometimes, they disconnect, but the changes programmed into them at any time.
I looked back at v2.0 – the wireless white ones that everyone is using at present. I really like v2.0 – connection and security features have always been reliable. I’ve experimented with various configurations and have upgraded v2.0 to v2.75, which are just like v2.0 but have a small screen and an SD card slot.
These upgrades essentially make these transmitters bulletproof. You now have a redundant cycle logging feature (the SD card) and you can also view the MI’s and cycle number as they occur (via the screen).
These upgrades address a major problem with the other non-SteriSimple data loggers for the new (white) M11’s: not displaying the cycle number during the cycle.
The new v2.75 will be available at 1/8 the cost of other data loggers and can work like any other logger, without SteriReader.
I’ll save the v3.0 WiFi transmitters for a future overhaul of SteriReader.
1 November 2020 – applies to v1.0.0.5
Pre-Sterilization Labeling
This is an option. Most users seem to enjoy the post-sterilization labeling with the Dymo. If you want to label before sterilization, Dymo labels will turn black. For this option, you’ll need a sticker sheet of special labels for this, found at Onlinelabels.com (item OL5425LP). These labels survive autoclave cycles and are for use with any laser printer, 80 per sheet and are about half the cost of Dymo labels, even the cheaper ones at Amazon.
To use this function, go to Settings | Printers | Select Label Printer. Select any printer from the list of printers on your network, other than the Dymo. That’s all it takes to activate this function.
Before you place the items in the sterilizer, click on the labels you need and click “Print Labels” which is where the “Verify Load” normally is, at the bottom of SteriReader’s interface. The screen will show an image of the sticker sheet – click on the square where the printing should start; if you see a red number already present, that is where you should start, since the software remembers where the end of the last group to be printed was. They’ll print left to right, row by row. You’ll then be asked to place one or more sheets into the printer, depending on how many labels are needed. Your labels will print and be assigned to the cycle about to start. At the end of the cycle, you’ll only need to verify the load. If you have not selected labels beforehand, you’ll be asked to do so at the end. To go back to labeling after sterilization via Dymo, go to Settings | Printers | Select Label Printer and select your Dymo instead of any other laser printer. The printer you select will dictate label placement before or after sterilization (before = select a laser printer / after = select Dymo). Click here to see the online instructions for pre-sterilization labeling.
WHMIS GHS Labels
Not a lot of offices seem to know about this necessity. Essentially, MSDS documents are outdated – they should be SDS documents. Every product in your office should have an SDS doc and each product with an SDS doc must have a GHS label on it. These “Globally Harmonized System” labels have basic info such as how hazardous they are, what PPE to wear and what to do in case of exposure. I’ve produced a library of over 300 labels, which are available online through SteriReader. You select what and how many you need from a list and print them on any office printer. Print them on either a full sticker sheet (and then cut them out), or on Avery Presta 94236 label sheets (8 per sheet). It’s dead easy and online instructions are available here. Go to Settings | Resources | GHS Label Library to use this function.
Online Manuals
I’ve placed IPAC, WHMIS and COVID manuals online, using the most up-to-date info from our College and provincial dental association; they will be updated periodically. There are PDFs to download and you can change them as you see fit. Go to Settings | Resources to find them.
SDS Library
There are over 300 SDS documents available for online viewing or download. Find them in Settings | Resources | SDS Library.
Equipment Manuals
I’ve placed PDFs for each sterilizer that SteriReader is compatible with online for you. Find them at Settings | Resources | Equipment Manuals.
Cleaning Cycle Tracking
At the end of Panel 8 of your Instrument List, there are two items that cannot be changed: PCD and Cleaning.
Whenever you do a cleaning cycle, select Cleaning as your label when you verify. This will tell the software to save the cycle in a Cleaning Database. You can access them at any time through Settings | Equipment Maintenance | View Cleaning Logs. Select a date and double-click on one of the logs to view or print.
Sterilizer Maintenance Schedules
There are summaries of the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedules for each sterilizer that SteriReader is compatible with online for you. Go to Settings | Equipment Maintenance | Sterilizer Maintenance Schedules. Find you sterilizer in the list to view the recommendations for your sterilizer. Quick and easy.
Force Verification
Do this if your cycle seems to hang on screen (at any point of the cycle, when the cycle has clearly finished). The MI measurements haven’t been triggered to display, but are still in the software. Go to Settings | Force Verification to allow you to select labels and verify the load. This is an awesome little function.
Instructions
Use this in case you need more thorough help that is easier to find than what’s on the SteriReader Help page.
There are detailed instructions, with pictures, for such things as fixing a jammed Dymo, configuring Gmail, Emergency Labels, GHS labels, etc. You’ll be brought to an online help page. Find them in Settings | Instructions.
Bowie-Dick and Vacuum tests
For those sterilizers requiring these tests, when it comes time to verify, the CI panels will be temporarily disappear. There is no need to verify CI’s during these tests. No labels will be printed, either. Just select your name and hit Verify.
Some users still want a label for their BD tests. You may do so only if 1) in your instrument list, on Panel 8, the third last item is “BD,” 2) you only select one “BD” label for your BD test. This label will be available for direct verification only and not for auto-verification.
Drag & Drop
Use this when, for whatever reason, a cycle is missed or incomplete in SteriReader but is saved on a USB stick. This applies to Statim G4, StatClave G4, Elara, EZ Plus, Bravo, Flight, Lexa. The file format can be either TXT or PFD.
Remove the USB stick form the sterilizer, insert into the machine running SteriReader and drag the file from the USB folder into the SteriReader screen. The report will show as if it was transmitted normally. However, sometimes, the time readings in the report may be off, but it’s better than missing a cycle.
Go Home Early
Use this function when you’ve started a cycle just before the end of your day, but you can’t wait around to verify it.
Activate or deactivate it by double-clicking the Status label, right above the Connect button. A message will appear, indicating whether the funciton is active or not. If so, click on your labels as you normally would, but do not click verify. You can select your name from the list, or leave it empty (the first name in the list will be assigned to the load).
If the MI’s fall in the safety range for your sterilizer, the CI’s will be auto-clicked PASS, the name will be assigned and the labels will start to print. No AI required. This occurs in the evening, just before the time your End of Day Report is set to print.
Functions removed from v1.0.0.5
Report a Bug: Everyone has been contacting me directly, so this reporting funciton has been removed. The one-on-one reporting is far more thorough.
Manually Enter System Codes: Nobody has ever used this.
Set Back-up Schedule: Everyone saves their SteriSimple databases on their servers, so there is no need for this function any longer.
Back-up Now: Same as above, no longer any need for it.
Set Software Update Schedule: I’ve streamlined this for automatic checking, so there’s no need to set a schedule for it.
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