Top 3 Reasons Travelers Can’t Solve Sterile Processing Staffing Gaps

Sterile processing is the backbone of surgical safety. Every instrument, every tray, every piece of equipment that touches a patient depends on skilled sterile processing technicians. And yet, when hospitals face workforce shortages, many turn to traveler contracts as a quick fix.

At first glance, travelers appear to be an easy and flexible solution. But the reality is that this model comes with hidden costs, inconsistency, and risks that compromise the quality of care. There’s a better way.

Reality Check: 3 Problems Travelers Can’t Solve in Sterile Processing Staffing

Hospitals often assume travelers bring instant relief. In practice, traveler staffing creates new challenges:

• Expertise gaps
  Travelers are frequently generalists with limited sterile processing training. Few have deep expertise in robotics, advanced instrumentation, or infection prevention — precisely the areas where the demand has increased. (A recent white paper on the sterile processing staffing crisis cites underinvestment in training and knowledge-building as a key systemic risk.)
• Consistency gaps
  Typical travel contracts last just 9–13 weeks. Onboarding delays, 1–2 week coverage gaps, or unpredictable rotations are common. That constant churn undermines continuity and institutional memory.

According to the “2024 Sterile Processing State of the Industry Report,” many SPD professionals cite lack of appreciation, heavy physical demands, and lack of upward mobility as reasons for leaving — suggesting that short-term staff models only exacerbate retention challenges.

• Accountability gaps
  Most traveler firms work on a “set and let” model. The leadership drops staff in, then steps out. The oversight? The accountability? That all falls back on hospital leadership, the very people already stretched too thin in the first place.

The Real Cost of Travelers in SPD Staffing

Industry-wide, full-time sterile processing departments already experience an annual turnover rate of 15%–20%. With traveler reliance, attrition rates are often higher, ranging from 20% to 30%, due to short contracts, frequent rotations and workforce instability. That means hospitals pay more but get less stability. The consequences are not hypothetical. We’ve heard how this can frame the bottom line with:

• Higher turnover and retraining costs
• Coverage gaps and disruptions
• Budget strain and staff resentment

And real stories from the OR mean, for example:

• An OR Manager who signed a 12-week contract and then had the traveler take a two-week approved vacation. A brand-new replacement was sent to cover those weeks, meaning the hospital had to train two people for a single role under a single contract.
• A Surgical Director who hired a traveler from overseas. When the traveler returned home for a one-week vacation, customs delays and travel logistics turned it into a nearly two-week absence.
• Then there’s the flip side: Leaders who finally get a traveler they love: someone who integrates into the team, learns the workflows, builds trust, and does the job as you had hoped. And then, when things start to click, the contract ends, and that person leaves for a different location.

These stories aren’t one-offs. They’re the kinds of situations we hear about all the time. And they highlight the core issue: travelers can fill a schedule, but they can’t deliver the consistency sterile processing requires.

When Do SPD Travelers Work?

Sometimes, travelers can work in specific situations and roles. Some examples are:

• In rural or underserved areas, travelers can make the difference between keeping services open or sending patients elsewhere. Sometimes, they’re the only option to maintain surgical capacity.
• During crises such as the pandemic, travelers helped prevent staff burnout and kept surgical schedules moving when hospitals faced unprecedented workforce shortages.
• In high-intensity departments, such as trauma ORs or emergency rooms, travelers have historically provided short-term relief while new staff are being trained.

Travelers can also bring fresh perspectives and new ideas when they walk into a department. Still, travelers should be viewed as a bridge, not a solution or permanent foundation for success. Why? Because:

• They are costly, often three to four times the rate of regular staff (and the current staff working with them knows this too).
• They leave after short contracts, creating gaps and forcing retraining.
• They don’t provide the continuity, accountability, or institutional memory sterile processing rightfully needs and deserves.

Why Surgical Solutions is Different

At Surgical Solutions, we don’t believe in temporary band-aids. We believe in long-term, sustainable solutions that support safe surgeries and efficient hospitals. We become a partner, not a vendor or consultant who presents a plan and leaves it with you to implement. Here’s how we’re different:

Our People: Certified & Scalable Expertise

• CRCST-certified, surgical-specific technicians with proven competency.
• Staff trained across SPD and OR to support robotics and complex instrumentation.
• Local team development to avoid retraining cycles and ensure continuity.

Our Process: Consistency & Accountability

• The stabilization team ensures seamless onboarding without gaps.
• Active alignment with hospital leadership, ongoing communication, and KPI-driven performance monitoring.
• Vendor-neutral model servicing all OEMs while reducing the total cost of ownership.

Our Performance: Proven Results

• Analytics dashboards that track compliance, outcomes, and cost savings.
• Robotics management and equipment repair can directly lower hospital expenses.
• Lean methodology and audit expertise that reduce waste while ensuring ongoing compliance.
• A 90-day guarantee: try us, see measurable improvement, or we adjust.

The True Cost of Travelers vs. Surgical Solutions

When comparing options, the differences are apparent:

The Bottom Line

Hospitals aren’t relying on travelers because they want to. They’re relying on them because they haven’t found another option. When sterile processing departments are stretched thin, leadership is left scrambling to fill shifts with a quick fixe.

Here’s the truth is: travelers don’t solve the problem. They create new ones:

• higher turnover rate
• retraining costs
• coverage gaps
• accountability risks
• budget strain and staff resentment over pay differences

You don’t need:

• another temporary hire
• another cycle of retraining
• another report gathering dust in a binder or as a PDF no one opens
• more staffing confusion or frustrations
• rising costs with nothing to show for them

You DO need a partner who brings real stability, surgical-specific expertise, and proven performance. Because in sterile processing, consistency isn’t optional. It’s the foundation of safe surgeries. And that is precisely where Surgical Solutions can help! Let's talk.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How are you different from a staffing agency or traveler contract?
A: Staffing agencies and travelers fill a spot. We build something more: a team that becomes part of your system, where your KPIs are our KPIs. Our staff are CRCST-certified, trained in surgical workflows, and embedded for the long term, meaning no quarterly turnover cycles or constant retraining.

Q: We already use travelers. Can you really reduce our reliance on them?
A: Yes. In fact, many of our partners start with travelers. We come in, stabilize the department, reduce coverage gaps, and help transition from temporary fixes to consistent, accountable teams.

Q: Will bringing you in create more work for our existing staff?
A: Not at all. We’re here to take work off your plate. Our stabilization team handles onboarding, oversight, and process improvement so your OR leaders can focus on patient care, not chasing instruments or filling last-minute schedules.

Q: How fast can you be up and running?
A: Most hospitals are fully up and running in a week or two. Our 90-day guarantee means you’ll see measurable improvements in compliance, consistency, and cost savings.

Q: How do we know this will work for our hospital?
A: We’ve partnered with hospitals large and small across the country. While every hospital has unique challenges, the pain points of turnover, traveler attrition, and lack of accountability are universal. Our model is proven to address them and adapt to your specific environment.

Q: Will you be replacing our staff?
A: No. Our goal isn’t to replace your people. It’s to support them. We hire local talent and often work alongside your current team, depending on how you’d like to use us. Our model blends the strengths of your team with the depth of our national expertise, giving you both stability and best practices from across the country.

We help hospitals save money, save time and improve workflows without the extra workload. And with our 90-day guarantee, there’s no risk. Why wouldn’t you give us a try?

Ready to see how Surgical Solutions can help? Let’s talk.
Schedule a 15-minute conversation and learn how we can help your hospital unlock measurable results in 90 days. Contact us or Schedule a meeting here.

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