Handling 'carbon footprint' in orthopaedics.

INTRODUCTION: The National Health Service contributes 4%-5% of England and Wales' greenhouse gases and a quarter of all public sector waste. Between 20% and 33% of healthcare waste originates from a hospital's operating room, and up to 90% of waste is sent for costly and unneeded hazardous waste processing. The goal of this study was to quantify the amount and type of waste produced during a selection of common trauma and elective orthopaedic operations, and to calculate the carbon footprint of processing the waste. METHODS: Waste generated for both elective and trauma procedures was separated primarily into clean and contaminated, paper or plastic, and then weighed. The annual carbon footprint for each operation at each site was subsequently calculated. RESULTS: Elective procedures can generate up to 16.5kg of plastic waste per procedure. Practices such as double-draping the patient contribute to increasing the quantity of waste. Over the procedures analysed, the mean total plastic waste at the hospital sites varied from 6 to 12kg. One hospital site undertook a pilot of switching disposable gowns for reusable ones with a subsequent reduction of 66% in the carbon footprint and a cost saving of £13,483.89. CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds new light on the environmental impact of waste produced during trauma and elective orthopaedic procedures. Mitigating the environmental impact of the operating room requires a collective drive for a culture change to sustainability and social responsibility. Each clinician can have an impact upon the carbon footprint of their operating theatre.

Gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde na rotina dos enfermeiros da atenção básica à saúde / Gestión de residuos de servicios de salud en la rutina de enfermeros de atención básica de salud / Management of waste from health services in the routine of primary health care nurses

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a geração e o gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) nos serviços inseridos na atenção básica à saúde. Método: estudo descritivo e de abordagem quantitativa. Esta pesquisa foi realizada com os responsáveis pelo gerenciamento de RSS de 27 estabelecimentos de saúde. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários autorrespondidos e pesagem dos RSS e foram analisados por meio da estatística descritiva. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar. Resultados: os 27 estabelecimentos de saúde geraram 719,665 kg de RSS, sendo 300,140 kg de RSS gerados pelas Equipes de Saúde da Família (EqSF) e 419,525 kg de RSS oriundos das Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS). Destaca-se que 66,6% (14) dos participantes de EqSF não souberam descrever como era realizada a segregação dos resíduos químicos; e 50,0% (6) dos respondentes de UBS não souberam informar o tipo de disposição final oferecida aos RSS. Conclusão: a elevada geração de RSS e as lacunas apresentadas no gerenciamento podem ser minimizadas por meio da implementação de medidas que visem à capacitação dos responsáveis pelo manejo e trabalhadores dos serviços de saúde, além da implantação da coleta seletiva a fim de contribuir para um desenvolvimento sustentável.

RESUMEN Objetivo: evaluar la generación y gestión de residuos de servicios de salud (RSS) en servicios incluidos en la atención primaria de salud. Método: estudio descriptivo con enfoque cuantitativo. Esta encuesta se realizó con los responsables de la gestión del RSS de 27 establecimientos de salud. Los datos fueron recolectados a través de cuestionarios auto respondidos y pesaje RSS y fueron analizados usando estadística descriptiva. La investigación fue aprobada por el Comité de Ética en Investigación de Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar. Resultados: los 27 establecimientos de salud generaron 719.665 kg de RSS, con 300.140 kg de RSS generados por los Equipos de Salud de la Familia (EqSF) y 419.525 kg de RSS de las Unidades Básicas de Salud (UBS). Cabe señalar que el 66,6% (14) de los participantes de EqSF no pudieron describir cómo se realizó la segregación de desechos químicos; y el 50,0% (6) de los encuestados de UBS no pudieron informar el tipo de disposición final ofrecida al RSS. Conclusión: la alta generación de RSS y las brechas en la gestión se pueden minimizar mediante la implementación de medidas dirigidas a capacitar a los responsables de la gerencia y trabajadores de los servicios de salud, además de la implementación de la recolección selectiva con el fin de contribuir al desarrollo sustentable.

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the generation and management of waste from health services (WHS) in the services included in Primary Health Care. Method: a descriptive study with a quantitative approach. This research was conducted with the people in charge of managing WHS from 27 health care facilities. The data were collected by means of self-administered questionnaires, as well as the WHS weigh, and were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The research was approved by UFSCar's Research Ethics Committee. Results: the 27 health care facilities generated 719.665 kg of WHS, with 300.140 kg generated by the Family Health teams (FHts) and 419.525 kg by the Basic Health Units (BHUs). It is noteworthy that 66.6% (14) of the FHt participants were unable to describe how the chemical waste was segregated; and that 50.0% (6) of the BHU respondents were unable to report the type of final disposal for the WHS. Conclusion: the high generation of WHS and the gaps presented in management can be minimized through the implementation of measures aimed at training those responsible for the management and the health care workers, in addition to the implementation of selective collection in order to contribute to sustainable development.

Cold Technique in Adult Tonsillectomy Reduces Waste and Cost.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify differences in waste and cost of disposable equipment between different tonsillectomy techniques. METHODS: Prospective study of waste attributable to disposable waste produced by tonsillectomy surgery. Disposable equipment required for tonsillectomy using cold, monopolar electrocautery (ME), and coblation techniques was measured; and differences in mass, volume, and cost of equipment between the 3 techniques were quantified. RESULTS: Cold technique was found to produce the least waste and have the lowest cost attributable to disposable surgical equipment. Projected single-case savings in mass and volume of waste resulting from using cold technique compared to ME were 1.272 kg and 1.013 L, respectively, and 1.043 kg and 1.723 L compared to coblation. Projected single-case savings in cost of disposable equipment for cold technique compared to ME were US$9.35 and US$185.05 compared to coblation. DISCUSSION: Using cold technique for adult tonsillectomy reduces waste and cost of disposable equipment compared to ME and coblation. Implications for Practice: Surgeons desiring to reduce cost and waste associated with tonsillectomy surgery may consider transitioning to cold technique.

Economic and Environmental Impact of Single-use Plastics at a Large Ophthalmology Outpatient Service.

PRéCIS:: The use of disposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses at a large ophthalmology outpatient service incurs significant financial and environmental waste that may not be justified given the limited data surrounding arguments for their use. PURPOSE: To quantify the economic and environmental burden of single-use plastics from an ophthalmology outpatient service at a large tertiary hospital and describe the relative value and evidence for the safety of disposable versus nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses. METHODS: The total number of single-use applanation tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses used per year at Boston Medical Center (BMC) was estimated, and the average dollars spent and plastic waste generated in kilograms per year were then determined. These values were compared with the total spending and waste that would be produced if the clinic were to use nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses exclusively. RESULTS: Single-use tonometer prisms cost an average of $70,282 per year and produce ~100.8 kg of plastic waste per year at BMC. Single-use gonioscopy lenses cost ~$9,040 per year and produce 8.8 kg of plastic waste per year at BMC. An excess of $65,185 and 109.6 kg of plastic waste could be avoided each year by only using nondisposable tonometer prisms and gonioscopy lenses at the BMC ophthalmology outpatient service. CONCLUSIONS: Single-use plastics in ophthalmology outpatient services generate significant environmental waste and financial cost compared with nondisposable instruments. This cost may outweigh the benefits of these instruments given the limited data surrounding arguments for their use.

Optimization of intravenous immune globulin use at a comprehensive cancer center.

PURPOSE: Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) is a high-cost medication used in a diverse range of settings. At many institutions, IVIG is dosed using total body weight (TBW). Recent evidence suggests that alternative dosing weights reduce waste without compromising clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to quantify the waste reduction potential generated through the use of alternative IVIG dosing weights. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all IVIG doses administered from January 2011 through January 2016 to adults (≥18 years). TBW and height at the time of administration were used to calculate prescribed dose (g/kg), ideal body weight (IBW), and adjusted body weight (AdjBW). Three dosing methods were analyzed, as follows: use of AdjBW if TBW is >120% IBW (method 1), AdjBW for all doses (method 2), and IBW for all doses (method 3). Outcomes included potential IVIG use averted, direct drug cost savings, and reductions in outpatient infusion times for each method. RESULTS: A total of 9,918 doses were administered to 2,564 patients over 5 years, representing an average usage of 75,994 g/year. If dosing methods 1, 2, and 3 had been used, the annual use of IVIG would have decreased by 21.9% (16,658 g/year, p < 0.001), 24.2% (18,371 g/year, p < 0.001), and 35.9% (27,252 g/year, p < 0.001), respectively. This translates into average annual cost differences of $2.37 million, $2.62 million, and $3.89 million and average annual outpatient infusion time savings of 841 hours, 920 hours, and 1,366 hours, respectively. CONCLUSION: IVIG dosing optimization through use of alternative dosing weights represents a significant source of waste reduction and cost reduction.

Assessment of research waste part 1: an exemplar from examining study design, surrogate and clinical endpoints in studies of calcium intake and vitamin D supplementation.

BACKGROUND: Research waste is estimated to be very common, but assessments of its prevalence and scope are rare. As an example, we assessed research waste in clinical research on calcium intake (assessing study design and endpoint type) and vitamin D supplementation (assessing endpoint type). METHODS: We examined 404 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies of calcium intake (diet or supplements) and bone mineral density (BMD) or fracture, and 547 RCTs of vitamin D supplements, and assessed the proportion of studies that used surrogate or clinical endpoints. For studies with BMD or fracture as an endpoint, we estimated when the 'tipping' point occurred indicating the need for RCTs with fracture as an endpoint (based on cumulative meta-analyses of BMD RCTs, and chronological review of observational studies), and whether each study published at least 5y after the tipping point was novel, added new clinical knowledge or was research waste. RESULTS: Observational studies of calcium intake and BMD or fracture outnumbered RCTs by 3.3-4.5 times. For both calcium intake and vitamin D supplements, studies using surrogate endpoints outnumbered studies using clinical endpoints by 1.6-3 times. Of 41 RCT publications of calcium intake and BMD or fracture published at least 5y after the tipping point in 1994, we considered that 19 (46%) lacked novelty, another 13 (32%) added no new clinical knowledge, and 30 (73%) were research waste. Of 204 observational study publications of calcium intake and BMD or fracture, 197 (96%) lacked novelty, another 5 (2%) added no new clinical knowledge, and 202 (99%) were research waste. Of 39 RCTs of vitamin D supplementation and BMD or fracture published at least 5y after the tipping point in 1999, 14 (36%) lacked novelty, another 13 (33%) added no new clinical knowledge, and 27 (69%) were research waste. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of studies of calcium intake since 2000 (95%) and trials of vitamin D supplements since 2005 (69%) on BMD or fracture represent research waste.

Assessment of research waste part 2: wrong study populations- an exemplar of baseline vitamin D status of participants in trials of vitamin D supplementation.

BACKGROUND: Research waste can occur when trials are conducted in the wrong populations. Vitamin D deficient populations are most likely to benefit from vitamin D supplementation. We investigated waste attributable to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of supplementation in populations that were not vitamin D deficient. METHODS: In December 2015, we searched Pubmed, recent systematic reviews, and three trial registries for RCTs of vitamin D with clinical endpoints in adults, and 25-hydroxvitamin D (25OHD) survey data relevant to large (N ≥ 1000) RCTs. We investigated the proportion of RCTs that studied vitamin D deficient populations, temporal trends in baseline 25OHD, and whether investigators in large RCTs considered relevant 25OHD survey data or systematic reviews in their trial justifications. RESULTS: Of 137 RCTs of vitamin D with clinical endpoints, 118 (86%) reported baseline mean/median 25OHD, which was < 25, 25-49, 50-74, and ≥ 75 nmol/L in 12 (10%), 62 (53%), 36 (31%), and 8 (7%) RCTs, respectively. In 70% of RCTs, baseline 25OHD was > 40 nmol/L. Baseline 25OHD increased over time. Before 2006, 38%, 62%, 0% and 0% of RCTs had baseline 25OHD < 25, 25-49, 50-74, and ≥ 75 nmol/L respectively; in 2011-15, the respective proportions were 9%, 49%, 37%, and 6%. Of 12 RCTs with baseline 25OHD < 25 nmol/L, 8 had neutral findings. Of 25 large RCTs (18 completed, 7 ongoing), 1 was undertaken in a vitamin D deficient population, 3 in vitamin D insufficient populations, and 17 had, or probably will have, baseline 25OHD > 40 nmol/L. 44% (8/18) of large completed RCTs cited relevant prior population 25OHD data, and only 3/10 (30%) relevant prior systematic reviews. CONCLUSIONS: Up to 70% of RCTs of vitamin D with clinical endpoints, 71% of large completed RCTs, and 100% of ongoing large RCTs could be considered research waste because they studied cohorts that were not vitamin D deficient.

Lean and Green Hand Surgery.

Health care in the United States is both expensive and wasteful. The cost of health care in the United States continues to increase every year. Health care spending for 2016 is estimated at $3.35 trillion. Per capita spending ($10,345 per person) is more than twice the average of other developed countries. The United States also leads the world in solid waste production (624,700 metric tons of waste in 2011). The health care industry is second only to the food industry in annual waste production. Each year, health care facilities in the United States produce 4 billion pounds of waste (660 tons per day), with as much as 70%, or around 2.8 billion pounds, produced directly by operating rooms. Waste disposal also accounts for up to 20% of a hospital's annual environmental services budget. Since 1992, waste production by hospitals has increased annually by a rate of at least 15%, due in part to the increased usage of disposables. Reduction in operating room waste would decrease both health care costs and potential environmental hazards. In 2015, the American Association for Hand Surgery along with the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Society for Peripheral Nerve Surgery, and the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery began the "Lean and Green" surgery project to reduce the amount of waste generated by hand surgery. We recently began our own "Lean and Green" project in our institution. Using "minor field sterility" surgical principles and Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT), both surgical costs and surgical waste were decreased while maintaining patient safety and satisfaction. As the current reimbursement model changes from quantity to quality, "Lean and Green" surgery will play a role in the future health care system.

Orthopedic Implant Waste: Analysis and Quantification.

The steadily increasing demand for orthopedic surgeries and declining rates of reimbursement by Medicare and other insurance providers have led many hospitals to look for ways to control the cost of these surgeries. We reviewed administrative records for a 1-year period and recorded total number of surgical cases, number of cases in which an implant was wasted, and cost of each wasted implant. We determined cost incurred because of implant waste, percentage of cases that involved waste, percentage of total implant cost wasted, and average cost of waste per case. We then analyzed the data to determine if case volume or years in surgical practice affected amount of implant waste. Results showed implant waste represents a significant cost for orthopedic procedures within all subspecialties and is an important factor to consider when developing cost-reduction strategies.

Effectiveness of multiple initiatives to reduce blood component wastage.

OBJECTIVES: Blood component waste is an important issue at all hospitals. As an initiative of the patient blood management program at a regional health care system, the causes and extent of blood product wastage were identified, and targeted interventions to effect a reduction were implemented. METHODS: Multiple low-cost interventions, including educational outreach, print and digital messaging, and improved transportation and component identification modalities, were implemented beginning in January 2013. The impact on reducing RBC, platelet (PLT), and plasma wastage in the 16 months after intervention implementation was compared with the wastage rates in the 16 months before these interventions had been implemented. RESULTS: Overall, the RBC wastage rate as a percentage of the number of units issued decreased from 0.67% to 0.56% (P = .001) after the interventions were implemented, while the PLT wastage rate decreased from 3.71% to 2.81% (P < .001). The plasma wastage rate increased from 1.14% to 1.40% (P < .001). The initial cost of these interventions was approximately $310. The net cost savings of the reduced waste was estimated at $131,520, excluding intervention costs. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively inexpensive interventions can have a prompt and dramatic impact on reducing blood wastage with regard to both cost and resource savings.

[Assessment of liberal physician's occupational risks management on the exposure to biological fluids]. / Évaluation des pratiques des médecins libéraux sur la gestion des risques professionnels liés à l'exposition aux liquides biologiques.

INTRODUCTION: During their practice, liberal physicians might have a risk of viral exposure to biological fluids. That risk is well-known in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to measure those occupational risks into their own private practice. METHODS: This observational descriptive transversal multicentral, epidemiological study is based on the information collected from 400 physicians (general practitioners, ENT specialists, dermatologists, pediatricians, rheumatologists and gynecologists), working in own private practice in Lorraine. They received by post a confidential survey consisting of multiple-choice and open questions, asking for their activity, their risks of being exposed to biological fluids, their vaccine coverage and their potentially infectious medical waste (PIMW) management. RESULTS: Among 175 physicians who replied to the survey, 153 did invasive procedures and 58 encountered an accidental blood exposure (ABE). The execution of invasive procedures was the main factor in having an ABE (P=0.0023). Around 89.5 % of the complications were due to percutaneous injuries. Still 30.9 % of the physicians always recapped needles and 40 % hadn't a complementary health cover. More than 82 % were up-to-date on mandatory vaccinations (hepatitis B and diphtheria-tetanus-poliomyelitis). In private practice, 97.6 % of physicians sort out blunt objects (prickly or sharp), which is quite satisfactory in comparison with only 60.5 % of them who sort out soft wastes and 44.6 % of blunt objects at patient's home. CONCLUSION: Even if physician's blunt objects disposal in private practice and their mandatory vaccination are satisfactory, "standard" precautions, safety equipment use and soft wastes disposal can be improved.

Assessment of the health care waste generation rates and its management system in hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2011.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare waste management options are varying in Ethiopia. One of the first critical steps in the process of developing a reliable waste management plan requires a widespread understanding of the amount and the management system. This study aimed to assess the health care waste generation rate and its management system in some selected hospitals located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: Six hospitals in Addis Ababa, (three private and three public), were selected using simple random sampling method for this work. Data was recorded by using an appropriately designed questionnaire, which was completed for the period of two months. The calculations were based on the weights of the health care wastes that were regularly generated in the selected hospitals over a one week period during the year 2011. Average generation indexes were determined in relation to certain important factors, like the type of hospitals (public vs private). RESULTS: The median waste generation rate was found to be varied from 0.361- 0.669 kg/patient/day, comprised of 58.69% non-hazardous and 41.31% hazardous wastes. The amount of waste generated was increased as the number of patients flow increased (rs=1). Public hospitals generated high proportion of total health care wastes (59.22%) in comparison with private hospitals (40.48%). The median waste generation rate was significantly vary between hospitals with Kruskal-Wallis test (X2=30.65, p=0.0001). The amount of waste was positively correlated with the number of patients (p < 0.05). The waste separation and treatment practices were very poor. Other alternatives for waste treatment rather than incineration such as a locally made autoclave should be evaluated and implemented. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed that the management of health care waste at hospitals in Addis Ababa city was poor.

Intraoperative waste in spine surgery: incidence, cost, and effectiveness of an educational program.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to quantify the incidence of intraoperative waste in spine surgery and to examine the efficacy of an educational program directed at surgeons to induce a reduction in the intraoperative waste. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spine procedures are associated with high costs. Implants are a main contributor of these costs. Intraoperative waste further exacerbates the high cost of surgery. METHODS: Data were collected during a 25-month period from one academic medical center (15-month observational period, 10-month post-awareness program). The total number of spine procedures and the incidence of intraoperative waste were recorded prospectively. Other variables recorded included the type of product wasted, cost associated with the product or implant wasted, and reason for the waste. RESULTS: Intraoperative waste occurred in 20.2% of the procedures prior to the educational program and in 10.3% of the procedures after the implementation of the program (P < 0.0001). Monthly costs associated with surgical waste were, on average, $17680 prior to the awareness intervention and $5876 afterwards (P = 0.0006). Prior to the intervention, surgical waste represented 4.3% of total operative spine budget. After the awareness program this proportion decrease to an average of 1.2% (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative waste in spine surgery exacerbates the already costly procedures. Extrapolation of this data to the national level leads to an annual estimate of $126,722,000 attributable to intraoperative spine waste. A simple educational program proved to be and continues to be effective in making surgeons aware of the import of their choices and the costs related to surgical waste.

Reducing medical waste.

Medical waste is a necessary by-product of any hospital environment; however, the majority of regulated medical waste is produced in the OR from the use of disposable surgical supplies (eg, drapes, gowns, basins, gloves, sponges). We conducted a concept comparison project in the ORs of two large medical centers in Bethesda, Maryland, and Washington, DC, to evaluate the effects of using reusable surgical basins, gowns, and table and Mayo stand covers in place of disposable products. Survey results indicated that surgeons and surgical technologists found the reusable products to be preferable to the disposable products currently in use. In addition, using reusable products provided a means to decrease regulated medical waste generated in the OR by an average of 65% as well as reduce the cost of waste disposal. AORN recommends evaluating the environmental effects of using reusable, reposable, and disposable products; our findings provide evidence that may be useful to surgical facilities that seek to adopt a "green" approach.

A multi-criteria assessment of scenarios on thermal processing of infectious hospital wastes: a case study for Central Macedonia.

In Greece more than 14,000 tonnes of infectious hospital waste are produced yearly; a significant part of it is still mismanaged. Only one off-site licensed incineration facility for hospital wastes is in operation, with the remaining of the market covered by various hydroclave and autoclave units, whereas numerous problems are still generally encountered regarding waste segregation, collection, transportation and management, as well as often excessive entailed costs. Everyday practices still include dumping the majority of solid hospital waste into household disposal sites and landfills after sterilization, still largely without any preceding recycling and separation steps. Discussed in the present paper are the implemented and future treatment practices of infectious hospital wastes in Central Macedonia; produced quantities are reviewed, actual treatment costs are addressed critically, whereas the overall situation in Greece is discussed. Moreover, thermal treatment processes that could be applied for the treatment of infectious hospital wastes in the region are assessed via the multi-criteria decision method Analytic Hierarchy Process. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was performed and the analysis demonstrated that a centralized autoclave or hydroclave plant near Thessaloniki is the best performing option, depending however on the selection and weighing of criteria of the multi-criteria process. Moreover the study found that a common treatment option for the treatment of all infectious hospital wastes produced in the Region of Central Macedonia, could offer cost and environmental benefits. In general the multi-criteria decision method, as well as the conclusions and remarks of this study can be used as a basis for future planning and anticipation of the needs for investments in the area of medical waste management.

Intraoperative waste of trauma implants: a cost burden to hospitals worth addressing?

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to assess the incidence of intraoperative trauma implant waste in a regional territory of the United States and to assess its impact on costs. METHODS: The total number of procedures using a single device manufacturer's orthopaedic trauma implants in one geographic region and number of occurrences of intraoperative orthopaedic trauma implant waste were recorded prospectively from 74 contiguous hospitals over a period of 18 months along with the individual responsible for the waste (surgeon, vendor representative, or operating room staff), the cost of the wasted implant, and whether the hospital paid for the implant. Hospitals were stratified into teaching or community institutions. The collected data were then aggregated and analyzed for overall incidence and cost as well as cost per trauma procedure. RESULTS: Implant waste occurred in 37 of 6531 procedures (0.6%) with 16 of the centers (21.6%) reporting at least one occurrence and 95% attributed to the surgeon or operating room staff. Community hospitals were found to have a significantly higher incidence of implant waste as compared with teaching hospitals. Hospitals absorbed 74% of the wasted implant costs ($20,357 over the study period). This expense represented a mean additional cost of $3.12 per orthopaedic trauma procedure performed. CONCLUSIONS: There is a small but notable annual incidence and cost of orthopaedic trauma implant waste in the study region with the majority of this cost borne by the hospitals. However, implant waste occurs infrequently and represents a very small cost to hospitals per procedure. Educational programs and other strategies to reduce its incidence are unlikely to yield any substantial cost savings.

Instituting a thawed plasma procedure: it just makes sense and saves cents.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this time-series study were to elucidate the impact of a thawed plasma standard operating procedure (TP SOP) on plasma wastage and on cost savings. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study compared plasma wastage for 1 year before versus 1 year after implementation of a TP SOP. RESULTS: The plasma wastage and discard declined 79.7 and 64.9%, respectively, with a cost savings of $15,654.79 during the 1 year after implementation of the TP SOP. The risk that a unit of plasma would be wasted decreased 86.2% from Year 1 to Year 2 and the risk that a unit of plasma would be discarded decreased 76.3% from Year 1 to Year 2. CONCLUSION: Our study showed the positive, sustained, impact of implementing a TP SOP. Twelve months after introducing the SOP our Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Services' plasma wastage and discard were dramatically reduced, saving thousands of dollars. Initiating a TP SOP just makes sense; it is easy to implement, conserves plasma, and saves cents.