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capabilities. For example, Dr. Khetarpal notes, while electronic pumps tend to
be slightly more accurate and have additional features like delayed infusion
start times, they also can confuse elderly patients, who might prefer a simpler
set-and-go elastomeric pump.
"There's no data to suggest exact flow rate, a bolus feature or a specific type
of pain pump is the recipe for the best possible block, because every block,
every patient and every placement is different," says Dr. Amundson. He suggests
you can choose a more complicated pain pump if there are enough staff mem-
bers available to make the tweaks needed to ensure it works properly. If you
don't have the staff available, however, opt for a simpler option. Either way,
says Dr. Amundson, make sure the pumps are easy for patients to use.
Outside of the pump itself, there are additional vendor services to consider.
Several pump manufacturers offer perks such as 24/7 hotlines for patients to
call with questions. Some companies even offer to make follow-up phone calls
to patients recovering at home. "Those services are great for night coverage,
especially in an outpatient setting, where you likely won't have a staff member
holding a pager all the time," says Dr. Amundson. You may also want to consider
electronic pumps that collect data about how a patient uses the pump, which
can help your facility better tailor its CNBs in the future.
Ms. Winchester says the added cost of a few hundred dollars per case is a
worthwhile investment. She notes that an influx of patients have traveled to the
center specifically seeking out its pain control services. As someone who's been
on the other side of the pump, she understands why.
"I had surgery and received a single-shot block before I went home," she says.
"I was in a lot of pain. They brought me in and placed the pump and it was
absolutely amazing. You always hear that the first 3 days are the worst, but the
pain pump makes it much easier to go through."
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