and pull around the facility with proper body dynamics. There's no
physical strain whatsoever. When a mobile unit reaches capacity, a
staff member rolls it to a stationary docking station, which automati-
cally empties the unit in minutes.
• Floor collection devices. Suction mats and strips, floor aspirator
devices and spill booms are useful for collecting the drops of fluid
that flow past the first line of collection defense at the surgical site
and drapes. Many of these floor-based products attach to mobile col-
lection units to make capturing overflow relatively seamless and can
be used to quickly suck up fluid that pools in dangerous spots.
How much is safety worth?
Your staff is your greatest asset and keeping them safe, healthy and
working is essential to your facility's financial and clinical successes.
Investing in direct-to-drain fluid management solutions shows them
you're serious about protecting their well-being and lets them focus
on taking care of your patients without having to worry about being
exposed to potentially infectious fluid or walking carefully across
slick floors.
Our hospital bought a mobile collection unit for each of its 6 ORs.
The per-unit price ranges from $20,000 to $25,000, which is a signifi-
cant up-front cost. But the return on investment pays off in the long
term. Consider that disposable 1-liter containers cost between $12 and
$15 a piece. During a fluid-heavy orthopedic case, you can easily fill
up a half-dozen of them. Plus, containers that contain solidified fluid
add significant weight to red bag waste, which runs $0.20 to $0.50 per
pound to have hauled away. A disposable manifold that fits into the
top of each mobile unit costs $5 to $10 per case, but that's slightly less
than what we would spend on the solidifying agent used to treat fluid
3 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8
