"They're 150 bucks
each, but the patients
love them," she says.
"I can't prove it, but I
know some patients
have taken them
home."
The gel pads are
thick, comfortable and
washable. "They're
expensive, but you know what? That's not how I think about it," says
Ms. Robinson. "I think about it like, if our patient is shivering or gets
an infection because she's cold, now I have a patient transfer, which is
$1,200 to $1,500 for the ambulance alone."
And such transfers could include regulatory follow-ups, which take
time, and thereby cost money.
Ms. Robinson says the warming at Advanced Surgical must be work-
ing, as there have been virtually no SSIs or hospital transfers in the 3
1/2 years she has been there.
While it might sound overly simplistic, Ms. Robinson says it's impor-
tant to keep in mind that patients are coming in for surgery, so they're
stressed. Most aren't thinking about the risks of clinical complica-
tions. After it's all over, all they know is that the procedure itself went
well — and what they remember most is that they were warm and
cozy throughout the process.
"Some of our patients go to aftercare at the doctor's office next-door
and they stop in with cards, brownies and hugs as a thank you," says
Ms. Robinson. "When that happens, we know we've done our job.
Their comfort level when they were here is a huge part of that."
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