We appointed 16 staff members to sit on our District Wide Inventory Control Committee (DWICC). (We have this many so that if several people are absent from a meeting, we still have more than just a handful making the decisions.) All products/instruments/equipment proposals have to gain committee approval before we'll place an order. People think about whether they really need something and have to do the work - they must present prices from three different vendors - to get what they want. This system has decreased excess inventory a lot.

Shauna Richardson
Surgery Coordinator & Chairman of DWICC
Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital
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Gown tags make great notes
Staff save the tags on surgery gowns when they assist with gowning, and then use them during the case for notes. This has saved us money on notepaper.

Ginger Martin
Director, Bon Secours-Venice Hospital
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Get a headstart on paperwork
We mandate that physician offices fax a transmittal form to our center days before the surgery. (We keep our fax machine in a secure area to comply with new HIPAA regulations.) That way, we can enter the patient's insurance information and the procedure codes into our system at our convenience. And when the patient arrives for surgery, the paperwork is already taken care of, which simplifies the pre-op time for patients and staff.

Richard Lee, MD
EyeMD Laser and Surgery Center
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Save on bandages
Here's how we save at least $7 on exsanguinations: During procedures such as carpal tunnel releases, small hand cases and podiatry cases, we use Ace bandages instead of Esmarch bandages. A 4-inch Esmarch costs $7.40; a 4-inch Ace costs 20 cents. It's a considerable savings, and the surgeons have been quite receptive.

Pam Neiderer, RN, BSN
Team Leader Clinical Services
Surgical Center of York
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RMV->)Nametags let you call patients by name
In addition to the staff having nametags, we give each patient an easy-to-read nametag so our staff can call patients by name. We use sticker nametags, which we clip to the patient's chart the day before the procedure so that, when they check in, they get their nametag right away. Remember to use the name patients want to go by - oftentimes older patients prefer the more respectful Mr. or Mrs. Smith; Robert may go by Bob. This personal touch makes patients feel more comfortable before a procedure and has increased patient satisfaction in our facility.

Herbert C. Hodes, MD, FACOG
Center for Women's Health
Overland Park, Kan.
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