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when surgeons have to switch back and forth multiple times a day, they'll wish
they had spent more time considering this feature.
3
Versatility
Your case volume plays an important role in determining how many
power tools you need. If you're doing just a few procedures a month, you
might be able to get by with a single device that has all the drills, burrs and saw
blades you'll need. If your practice has multiple surgeons and you're doing
dozens of cases per month, your needs are going to multiply.
Regardless of your situation, you'll want to reflect on some key questions:
• Does the handpiece have a simple attachment mechanism for switching
components, say, from saw blades to reamers?
• Does the tool fit the needs of all your orthopods, from those who do knees
and hips to those who do microsurgery on hands and feet?
A trial may be the easiest way to find out. Take a few weeks, maybe a month,
to have each of your ortho docs use the tool to see if it suits their every need.
Your docs will be sharing whichever tools you ultimately purchase, so you have
to be flexible in order to reach a consensus.
Your scrub techs will likely be involved in setting up tools for cases, so
make sure they — and anyone else who will be handling the devices — play a
part in trials or in-service sessions. After all, their competency in assembling
and disassembling these tools may have an effect on case prep and room
turnover.
4
Vendor support
This factor is every bit as important as how well the tool performs.
The vendor's ability to stand by the product is essential and, in many
cases, so is the physical location of the company's nearest rep. If a tool
breaks down or there's an urgent need for a part, you need to know the ven-
dor will be able to respond quickly. Ask your vendors how fast they'll be able
