Achieving Surgical Supply Savings through Preference Card Standardization.

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Surgical Supply Chain Management
• Medical Device Standardization

Background:

• Significant cost variations exist in surgical supplies for high-volume procedures.
• Surgeons' preference cards contribute to these cost differences due to varied supply selections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To standardize preference cards for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies.
• To reduce supply expenses through standardization.

Main Methods:

• Collected and analyzed data on surgeon preference card composition and supply utilization.
• Grouped surgical supplies by United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPC) product classes.
• Developed a composite set of supplies based on data analysis and clinical feedback.

Main Results:

• Identified significant differences in supply composition and costs between surgeons.
• Standardization of supplies for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies resulted in an estimated annual saving of $21,650.
• Developed reports highlighting cost deviations by product class.

Conclusions:

• Standardizing surgical preference cards can lead to substantial cost savings.
• UNSPC-based reports facilitate comparison and identification of cost-effective supply alternatives.
• Collaborative efforts with surgeons are key to successful standardization initiatives.