Abstract: Objective: To investigate the current status of socialized service quality management in regional Central Sterile Supply Departments (CSSDs) and to provide evidence for the continuous improvement of regional CSSDs in China. Methods: In May 2024, a convenience sampling method was employed to select 103 regional CSSDs providing socialized disinfection supply services and 94 hospitals outsourcing instrument cleaning and sterilization tasks in the Sichuan-Chongqing region. Self-designed Questionnaires were used to collect data. Results: A total of 12 regional CSSDs (11.65%) did not establish quality standards for receiving contaminated instruments, 8 regional CSSDs (7.77%) failed to disinfect contaminated transportation tools, 10 regional CSSDs (9.71%) had personnel who did not perform hand hygiene during transport, and 11 regional CSSDs (10.68%) did not trace sterile packages. Additionally, 18 regional CSSDs (17.48%), 28 regional CSSDs (27.18%), and 23 regional CSSDs (22.33%) did not provide instrument training, on-site guidance, or solicit feedback from the served hospitals. In the management of the served hospitals, 64 hospitals (68.09%) stored contaminated instruments together with sterile items in the same room, 90 hospitals (95.74%) delivered contaminated instruments to the regional CSSD within 2-7 days, 5 hospitals (5.32%) did not separate clean and contaminated transportation tools, and 55 hospitals (58.51%) did not disinfect their transport vehicles. Conclusion: The management of regional CSSDs towards the served hospitals is relatively weak, and improvements are still needed in the management of contaminated instruments and sterile items. The overall management level of served hospitals, especially in the handling of contaminated instruments, sterile items, and facilities, requires urgent enhancement.

Key words: regional Central Sterile Supply Department; quality management; cross-sectional study; questionnaire survey