Becker's ASC Review

66 Executive Briefing Challenges in traditional patient warming Hospitals today are re-designing clinical workflow and operations to deliver high quality, cost-effective care to reduce complications, length of stay and readmissions; new approaches to patient warming are a part of these efforts. Historically, hospitals placed blanket and fluid warming cabinets in central locations throughout the building, centralizing the location for the warm fluid and blankets. However, for some operating rooms the blanket and fluid warming cabinets were a significant walk away. As an alternative, surgeons could use in-line warmers to actively warm the fluid, however, associated are disposables adding cost to every case. Blanket and fluid warming cabinets are a permanent option. Enthermics saw an opportunity to revolutionize patient warming while boosting the quality of care and lowering costs. Instead of relying solely on blanket and fluid warming cabinets, the company designed fluid warming pods that can be stationed at point of care locations as a quick and convenient warming method for the surgical team. The solution: ivNow ivNow was designed with the modern operating room and enhanced workflow in mind. The ivNow can produce 20 to 140 liters of warmed fluid in a 12-hour period, automatically warming a 1-liter bag of fluid to 40°C in 30 minutes or less or a 3-liter bag in about 45 minutes. Surgical teams can access the warm fluid without leaving the OR and compromising the sterile environment. The pods display the exact temperature of every bag and keep the temperature consistent for patient safety. The pods can be placed on a countertop or IV pole to save space in the OR and do not include any disposable components. "ivNow is more cost effective than the standard fluid warming methods because it can eliminate or reduce disposables and typically is sold at a fraction of the price of a warming cabinet," Mr. Rotterman said. Healthcare providers can save thousands of dollars every year by eliminating captive disposables associated with in-line warmers. The product is also cost-efficient because: • Instead of billing for every bag, healthcare organizations can place ivNow next to the medication management system to ensure all bags are accounted for. • The ivNow warmers can be placed inside the OR so nurses don't need to leave the room or walk across departments for the warm fluids. • ivNow's pod is small and compact, saving space in the OR. • The potential for fewer complications, shorter hospital lengths of stay and fewer readmissions also helps providers lower the overall cost of care. Due to the savings associated with ivNow, hospitals and healthcare providers can realize a return on investment within months of the initial purchase. Meeting the needs of value-based care In 2009, The Joint Commission's Surgical Improvement Project developed a guideline around temperature management, stating: "Surgical patients should be actively warmed during surgery or have at least one recorded body temperature equal to or greater than 96.8°F within 30 minutes prior to the end of anesthesia to 15 minutes after anesthesia ends." Without the right tools in place, it's more difficult for the surgical team to meet this requirement. "The fact that ivNow monitors how long the fluids have been warming keeps clinicians informed about the shelf life of the bag and the temperature. This will help them from a regulatory standpoint as it pertains to The Joint Commission or other regulatory bodies," Mr. Rotterman said. Some reimbursements are now tied to monitoring for complications because of hypothermia. HCAHPS scores monitoring patient satisfaction could also take a hit if patients experience hypothermia symptoms. Patient warming can reduce anxiety, bleeding, anesthesia required to sleep and the risk of cardiac problems, which all significantly improve the overall patient experience. Successful patient warming can help reduce costs, improve clinical outcomes and safeguard the patient experience. Providers looking to make good on the promise of value-based should consider an innovative approach to patient warming. n Leading the way in warming technology since 1980, Enthermics Medical Systems is committed to providing high quality blanket and fluid warming systems to doctors, nurses, and patients. We offer blanket and fluid warming systems that utilize our WarmSafe technology designed to maintain precise temperatures of injection and irrigation fluids, as well as heated blankets for pre- and postoperative patient use.

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