mobile units starting
roving the ORs.
Fluid invest-
ment
Mr. Huffman believes
many centers don't
consider the some-
times hidden costs
associated with fluid
waste management.
Before switching to
the direct-to-drain
system, surgeons
wore rubber boots
that cost $15 a pair
and nurses threw
blankets on the floor
to soak up pooled
fluid. "It struck a
chord when I
watched a nurse
open a 10-pack of blankets and use them to mop up fluid," says Mr.
Huffman. "I pay $1.50 for each blanket to be laundered. If she does
that regularly, she's adding $15 to per-case costs." When you consider
the costs of rubber boots and a healthcare laundry service, the $14 he
pays for single-use manifolds used in his facility's portable units
seems like a bargain.
Although Mr. Huffman's facility spends close to $50,000 a year on
disposable manifolds and reusable floor-wicking devices, he says the
1 2 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 6
• GROUND GAME Floor wicking devices are effective if they're placed
where the fluid flows.
Randy
Huffman
RN,
MSA,
CMPE
