For more than 50 years, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has helped healthcare professionals define best practices for employees, equipment and patients. AAMI standards are written through careful debate and consensus. They inform the way we work and are our guideposts for protecting patient safety. Staying up to date on AAMI documents is critical for all Sterile Processing professionals. 

In episode 138, host Casey Czarnowski speaks with Horlando Cintron and Damien Berg about AAMI’s latest standards and innovations. They discuss new AAMI working groups, important standards updates, upcoming technical information reports (TIRs), and the impact of these publications on our work. Cintron and Berg also explain the AAMI process, share opportunities for participation and encourage you to get involved. 

Guest Speakers:  
Horlando Cintron 
Manager of Peri-Operative Support Services and Central Processing 
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 

Horlando Cintron, BS, CRCST, CHL, is the Manager of Peri-Operative Support Services and Central Processing at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He has 27 years of healthcare experience advancing patient safety through infection prevention, education and standards development. He co-chairs AAMI Working Group 40, leading the revision of ANSI/AAMI ST79, and received the AAMI Technical Award for co-chairing the ST58 standard recognized by the FDA. His leadership roles include Director, HSPA Foundation Board (2024–2027) and President, New Jersey Healthcare Central Service Association (2025–2026). 

Damien Berg 
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives 
HSPA 

Damien Berg, BA, BS, CRCST, AAMIF, serves as HSPA’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and is an HSPA Past-President (2018–2019). Additionally, he works closely with regulatory bodies and standards-making groups, such as the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). Berg serves on the Executive Committee for the World Federation For Hospital Sterilisation Sciences (WFHSS). 

This podcast offers: 0.50 CE