---
title: blog | Instrument Level Tracking
description: Instrument Level Tracking | The ScanCARE Blog provides an abundance of information on all things relating to Surgical Instrument Tracking
---

# ScanCARE Blog

Browse by

All AS/NZS4187 Surgical Instruments standards Product Families Paperless Patient Records Medical Records Management cssd Surgical Instrument Tracking Digital Medical Records Medical Assets UDI AS 5369:2023 AS5369 Instrument Level Tracking QuickShot Tray Level Tracking AS 5369 AS/NZS 4187 AS/NZS 4815 Reprocessing medical devices Sterilisation standards Australia TGA

## Posts about Instrument Level Tracking:

![TGA vs AS 5369: Closing the Gap in Surgical Traceability](https://blog.scancare.com.au/hubfs/Images%202021/Blogs/Closing%20the%20Gap%20Header2.jpg)

[Surgical Instruments](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/surgical-instruments) [AS/NZS4187](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/as-nzs4187) [cssd](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/cssd) [UDI](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/udi) [Instrument Level Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/instrument-level-tracking) [Surgical Instrument Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/surgical-instrument-tracking) [AS5369](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/as5369) [AS 5369:2023](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/as-53692023) [TGA](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/tga)

### Introduction

In the modern healthcare environment, where safety, traceability, and compliance are paramount, Australia’s regulatory framework for reusable surgical instruments presents a perplexing disconnect. On one hand, the recently published **AS 5369:2023** sets a clear expectation for tracking surgical instruments from sterilization through to patient use. On the other, the **Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)** — Australia's national regulator — does not currently require direct part marking or Unique Device Identification (UDI) for **Class I reusable surgical instruments**, which make up the bulk of surgical tools used in clinical practice.

This divergence between **clinical best practice** and **regulatory requirements** is more than just an academic discrepancy — it has real-world implications for patient safety, operational efficiency, and the traceability of critical medical assets. In this article, we explore the current landscape, compare global standards, and ask whether the TGA is overdue for an update.

[AS/NZS4187](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/as-nzs4187) [cssd](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/cssd) [QuickShot](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/quickshot) [Tray Level Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/tray-level-tracking) [Instrument Level Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/instrument-level-tracking) [Surgical Instrument Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/surgical-instrument-tracking)

![3_scissors](https://blog.scancare.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Images_used_on_scancare_blog/Medical_equipment/3_scissors.png?width=504&height=301&name=3_scissors.png)

Transitioning to an Electronic Tracking system often involves importing your existing CSSD Check Sheets and Surgical Devices data, currently maintained in MS Word or Excel. A common challenge is the varied naming of the same type of surgical instruments. 

For instance, Mayo Forceps for example, might be named in several ways:

- 15cm Curved Mayo Forceps
- Mayo Forceps 15cm Curved
- Curved 15cm Mayo Forceps
- Forceps Mayo  Curved 15cm
-  6" Mayo Curved Forcep

Let's explore five tips on establishing a consistent naming convention for surgical instruments to simplify this process.

[AS/NZS4187](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/as-nzs4187) [cssd](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/cssd) [QuickShot](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/quickshot) [Tray Level Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/tray-level-tracking) [Instrument Level Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/instrument-level-tracking) [Surgical Instrument Tracking](https://blog.scancare.com.au/blog/topic/surgical-instrument-tracking)

![2d-scan](https://blog.scancare.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Images%202021/Pillar%201/compressed-resized/2d-scan.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=2d-scan.jpg)

 What are the benefits and drawbacks of tracking surgical instruments at the tray level and at the instrument level. Which method is more suitable to your facility.