A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 9
I
t costs the
Graystone
Eye Surgery
Center in
Hickory,
N.C., $1.05 to warm a
patient. A loaner
linen service charges
$1 to clean a blanket,
and the cost of using
the blanket warmer
is nominal, about 5
cents a case.
"Patients often comment on how much they enjoy warm 'real' blan-
kets," says Ann Leary, RN, Graystone's infection control and perioper-
ative supervisor. "Greater patient satisfaction leads to an enhanced
reputation in the community, which generates patient referrals."
How do you put a price on a warm patient? We surveyed nearly 100
readers last month to see if they knew how much it costs to prevent
hypothermia. Though most didn't, more than 94% of respondents
agreed that there is a clear economic benefit to preventing hypother-
mia. The few respondents that did do the math estimated warming
costs $5 to $30 per case. And those who don't know, don't care
because the costs to prevent hypothermia are offset by the expensive
clinical complications that patient warming works to prevent, not to
mention the patients who appreciate the warmth.
At Artesia (N.M.) General Hospital, warmed blankets and forced-air
Adam Taylor | Senior Associate Editor
Normothermia Is Good Business
Surgical facility leaders say patient warming pays for itself.
• ECONOMIC BENEFIT More than 94% of surgical facility leaders we surveyed agreed
that there is a clear economic benefit to preventing hypothermia — but not many can
put a price tag on it.
