The cost of waste of consumable materials in a surgical center / O custo de desperdício de materiais de consumo em um centro cirúrgico / El costo del desperdicio de materiales de consumo en um centro quirúrgico

OBJECTIVES: to identify the types, quantities and cost of the consumable materials sent, used, returned unopened and wasted in surgical operations; to classify the incidences of waste as avoidable or unavoidable losses, and to calculate the rate of waste of the consumable materials in the peri-operative period in the Surgical Center of a São Paulo university hospital. METHOD: a descriptive-exploratory case study with a quantitative approach. The convenience sample corresponded to 105 types of consumable materials sent for the 275 operations observed between February and May 2011. RESULTS: the items wasted most were surgical sutures, surgical cotton sutures, and gauze compresses. The total cost of the waste was R$ 709.84. The mean percentage of waste in the sample was 9.34%, of which 1.23% was avoidable and 8.14% unavoidable. CONCLUSION: the study evidenced that the effective management of material resources reduces the costs of the processes, and reduces waste. .

OBJETIVOS: identificar os tipos, as quantidades e o custo dos materiais de consumo encaminhados, utilizados, estornados e desperdiçados nas cirurgias; classificar os desperdícios como perdas evitáveis e não evitáveis, e calcular o índice de desperdício dos materiais de consumo no intraoperatório no Centro Cirúrgico de um hospital universitário de São Paulo, SP. MÉTODO: estudo de caso, descritivo e exploratório, com abordagem quantitativa. A amostra de conveniência correspondeu a 105 tipos de materiais de consumo encaminhados para 275 cirurgias observadas, entre fevereiro e maio de 2011. RESULTADOS: os itens mais desperdiçados foram fios cirúrgicos, fio cirúrgico algodão e as compressas de gaze. O custo total de desperdício foi de R$ 709,84. O percentual médio de desperdício na amostra foi de 9,34%, sendo 1,23% evitável e 8,14% não evitável. CONCLUSÃO: o estudo evidenciou que o gerenciamento eficiente dos recursos materiais reduz custos dos processos e diminui desperdícios. .

OBJETIVOS: identificar los tipos, las cantidades y el costo de los materiales de consumo encaminados, utilizados, extornados y desperdiciados en las cirugías; clasificar los desperdicios como pérdidas evitables y no evitables, y calcular el índice de desperdicio de los materiales de consumo en el intraoperatorio en el Centro Quirúrgico de un hospital universitario de Sao Paulo. MÉTODO: estudio de caso, descriptivo y exploratorio, con abordaje cuantitativo. La muestra de conveniencia correspondió a 105 tipos de materiales de consumo encaminados para 275 cirugías, observadas entre febrero y mayo de 2011. RESULTADOS: los ítems más desperdiciados fueron hilos quirúrgicos, hilo quirúrgico de algodón y las compresas de gasas. El costo total del desperdicio fue de R$ 709,84. El porcentaje promedio de desperdicio en la muestra fue de 9,34%, siendo 1,23% evitable y 8,14% no evitable. CONCLUSIÓN: el estudio evidenció que la administración eficiente de los recursos materiales reduce costos de los procesos y disminuye desperdicios. .

Cost analysis of eye camps and camp-based cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND. Although cataract accounts for half the blindness in the world, the resources available are not sufficient to meet the existing need for operations. The most effective low cost cataract surgery is probably performed in community camps. METHODS. We estimated the costs incurred in performing cataract operations in makeshift comprehensive eye care camps. Both the capital and recurrent inputs were costed at current market rates. RESULTS. Rupees 1,508,600 (US$ 47,100) was spent on conducting 17 camps during April 1992 to March 1993. Recurrent inputs were responsible for 83% of the total costs. Sixty per cent of the recurrent inputs were borne by non-governmental organizations. The total capital expenditure was borne by the mobile ophthalmic units. Food and drugs for patients (40%), and staff salaries and allowances (35%) were the major recurrent expenditure, while 60% of the capital expenditure was accounted for by vehicles. The unit cost of cataract surgery was Rs 772 (US$ 23). CONCLUSIONS. We suggest that comprehensive eye camps are cost-effective.