Indeed, Sanford's approach to reducing OR compounding offers a
blueprint on the effectiveness of smaller, more specific changes. The
facility is using the same plan to reduce the mixing of local anesthet-
ics such as lidocaine + epinephrine and bupivacaine + lidocaine.
Sanford's elimination of compounded irrigation solutions not only
reduced the potential for medication errors, it's also been a major
time-saver. Now that the circulator and other OR staff members don't
have to gather sterile supplies, and dilute, mix, dispense and label
each of the irrigation agents, the facility saves approximately seven
minutes per case. Summing up the benefits of new protocol, Ms.
Soper says, "Safety drove the change, and the time-savings helped
push it through."
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