Vessel Sealing

Savings:  $173,261

A 3-hospital system with multiple past successes in utilization projects saw they had opportunity in vessel sealing products through Blue.Point’s solutions. 

This facility has a very active Value Analysis committee with champions in almost every department.  They have formed a working relationship with the OR staff and physicians to work together and implement utilization initiatives that can support cost reduction efforts and ensure excellent clinical practice.

Blue.Point solutions revealed:

• They were streamlined to 2 energy sources. 
• They were not taking advantage of reprocessing options available.
• They were using 4 different types of shears.

Actions taken:

• Began reprocessing their ultrasonic products and increased the usage of these products to 50% of their overall inventory.
• Eliminated straight tip shears reducing their overall quantity by over 50%.
• Streamlined open and laparoscopic products by energy source.
• Streamlining products stocked helped streamline their practice for open and laparoscopic cases.

IV Primary Tubing

Savings:  $358,000

A 200-bed urban trauma center used Blue.Point solutions to identify savings opportunity for IV primary tubing. They had already maximized their contract pricing, so why were they so different from other facilities across the country? 

Blue.Point solutions identified:

• Using 20% more IV primary sets per patient than top performers.
• 80% of their primary tubing had 3 ports for a higher cost.
• $30,000 was being spent on one SKU of high cost 1 port tubing.
• Filter tubing usage was higher than expected for their practice.
• They were standardized to one manufacturer.
• Custom tubing was not being purchased.

Actions Taken:

• Protocols were changed and nurses were educated to change IV primary tubing less frequently, according to CDC and INS guidelines.
• Converted 3 port tubing to 2 port tubing.
• Standardized all basic primary tubing to one SKU.
• Standardized to one type of filter tubing and ensured it was only used when clinically necessary.
• Eliminated unnecessary high cost products.

Low Level Disinfectants

Savings:  $104,000

A 300 bed academic medical center wanted to review their disinfection practices throughout the hospital.  They saw they were spending two times more per patient on low level disinfectant wipes than other hospitals across the country, and recognized there may be opportunity for both practice and cost improvements. 

Blue.Point solutions revealed:

• Wipe usage per inpatient/outpatient day was in line with other facilities.
• Using standard size wipes across the system.    
• Multiple disinfectants solutions with overlapping indications were being used through the facility. 
• The average cost per wipe was higher than top performers’ average cost.

Actions Taken:

• Armed with their data and clinical backup, the facility was able to streamline products, removing 7 SKUs from inventory.
• Streamlined to 2 types of low level disinfectants.
• Standardize practices in all departments through standardized products.
• Ensured disinfectants were being used correctly by providing education on only 2 products.