What is the Crosstex PassPort Biological Sterilizer Monitoring Service?
Spore testing, one of the most important aspects of autoclave ownership. It’s used as a way to properly measure the sterilization capabilities of your autoclaves. Ask anyone in the industry and they’ll tel you how important it is. In fact, it’s so important, that there are many, many different methods to perform spore tests, that way there’s no excuse.
In this article, we’d like to focus on one of these methods of spore testing, or more specifically… We’re talking about one of the many spore testing kits on the market: the Crosstex PassPort Biological Sterilizer Monitoring Service. And that name says more than you think.
What is Spore Testing?
Spore testing, also known as biological monitoring, is the gold standard for sterility assurance. It is the only verifiable method used to confirm that a sterilization process has successfully killed all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial spores. While facilities can use mechanical monitoring (checking gauges) or chemical monitoring (using color-changing indicator strips) to prove that a machine reached the correct temperature and pressure, only a biological test proves that the microorganisms are actually dead.
How it works: Test strips or vials containing highly resistant, non-pathogenic bacterial spores are run through a standard autoclave cycle. If the machine can neutralize these ultra-tough organisms, it proves the lethality of the entire cycle. And it ensures your autoclave can safely neutralize any pathogen your practice encounters.
What is the Crosstex Passport?
The Crosstex Passport Biological Sterilizer Monitoring Service is a spore testing system for your autoclaves that has a distinct difference. Instead of requiring your staff to incubate and read results in-house, it utilizes an accredited external laboratory.
- Place the provided sterilization monitoring strips into your sterilizer for a test cycle.
- Transfer the completed strips into the provided, pre-paid envelope.
- Record your sterilizer’s brand, serial number, test date, and cycle parameters on the envelope.
- Ship it directly to the Crosstex Biological Monitoring Service laboratory.
Incubation & Reporting Timelines
Because different sterilization methods require different cultivation times, your reporting window depends on your equipment:
- Steam test – 24 hour incubation.
- Chemical Vapor test – 72 hour incubation.
- EO Gas test – 7 day incubation.
- Dry Heat test – 7 day incubation.
Now let’s take a look at some of the other points of the Crosstex PassPort.
Why Choose a Third-Party Service?
Using an external laboratory provides major operational advantages over manual, in-office logs:
- Legal Protection & Objective Records: In the event of an audit or legal inquiry, having an independent, accredited third-party laboratory certify your compliance provides an indisputable, objective record of safety.
- Rapid Failure Support: Human error—such as overloading a chamber or selecting the wrong cycle—is the leading cause of autoclave failures. If a PassPort test fails, Crosstex sends an immediate email or fax alert, followed by a direct phone call the next business day from a clinical consultant to help you troubleshoot and establish corrective actions.
- 24/7 Digital Tracking: Manage your entire testing history online via a secure portal at checkyourtest.com. You can filter, sort, and print quarterly or annual compliance certificates.
- Missed Test Reminders: To eliminate the risk of human forgetfulness, the system automatically alerts your office via email or fax if a scheduled test date is missed.
- Meeting Industry Compliance: Major healthcare authorities—including the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation), and OSAP (Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention)—recommend biological monitoring of sterilizers at least weekly, and preferably every day the sterilizer is in use. Spore testing is also required for every single load containing an implantable device.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the safety of your patients and the integrity of your practice depend on the reliability of your sterilization process. While mechanical and chemical indicators serve a purpose… only biological monitoring provides the absolute assurance that your autoclave is performing at 100%, and by choosing a comprehensive, third-party system like the Crosstex PassPort Biological Sterilizer Monitoring Service, you are doing more than just meeting compliance standards—you are investing in peace of mind. With professional laboratory verification, rapid failure notification, and secure digital record-keeping, you can shift your focus away from the worry of sterilization efficacy and back to what matters most: providing the highest quality of care to your patients.
If you’d like to view the CrossTex PassPort, you can find it on our site here. If you have any questions about the CrossTex PassPort, sterilization monitoring, or anything else, give us a call at 704-966-1650 and we’ll help you find what you need.
As always if you have any questions about this process or anything else please feel free to contact us and take advantage of our “FREE TECH SUPPORT.”
We also offer FREE VIRTUAL TECH SUPPORT to “See and Talk” with a “Real Time Live Technician” for any problems you may be in need of help with.
You can also use our “FREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM”. Take the guesswork and worrying about what unit is due for maintenance and which maintenance cycle it is time for. We will keep track of all your autoclaves and let you know when it’s time for anything.
You can find the CrossTex PassPort Biological Sterilization Monitoring System here on our site.