Biomaterial Database

Reducing waste: a significant cost containment measure in an i.v. additive program. 1987

P A Coppola, and A P Cassidy

The need to reduce IV minibag waste was reported during a management study of pharmacy services. Outlined is the method of operation in effect at the time. The period of study indicated a 19.98% waste factor, which was equivalent to 3,000 minibags. The problems were identified and methods were developed and implemented to reduce this percentage. Various studies have reported IV minibag waste to be in the 7% range. A follow-up study after the new policies and procedures were implemented indicated a current waste factor of 2.26%. This improvement had a significant impact in the operation of the IV additive program and in the cost-containment goals of the department.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007262	Infusions, Intravenous	The long-term (minutes to hours) administration of a fluid into the vein through venipuncture, either by letting the fluid flow by gravity or by pumping it.	Drip Infusions,Intravenous Drip,Intravenous Infusions,Drip Infusion,Drip, Intravenous,Infusion, Drip,Infusion, Intravenous,Infusions, Drip,Intravenous Infusion
D010607	Pharmacy Service, Hospital	Hospital department responsible for the receiving, storing, and distribution of pharmaceutical supplies.	Clinical Pharmacy Service,Hospital Pharmacy Service,Pharmacy Service, Clinical,Hospital Pharmaceutic Service,Hospital Pharmaceutical Service,Hospital Pharmacy Services,Pharmaceutic Service, Hospital,Pharmaceutical Service, Hospital,Service, Clinical Pharmacy,Service, Hospital Pharmaceutic,Service, Hospital Pharmaceutical,Service, Hospital Pharmacy,Clinical Pharmacy Services,Hospital Pharmaceutic Services,Hospital Pharmaceutical Services,Pharmaceutic Services, Hospital,Pharmaceutical Services, Hospital,Pharmacy Services, Clinical,Pharmacy Services, Hospital,Services, Clinical Pharmacy,Services, Hospital Pharmaceutic,Services, Hospital Pharmaceutical,Services, Hospital Pharmacy
D001900	Boston	City located in Massachusetts.
D003363	Cost Control	The containment, regulation, or restraint of costs. Costs are said to be contained when the value of resources committed to an activity is not considered excessive. This determination is frequently subjective and dependent upon the specific geographic area of the activity being measured. (From Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed)	Cost Containment,Containment, Cost,Containments, Cost,Control, Cost,Controls, Cost,Cost Containments,Cost Controls
D006745	Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499	The number of beds from 300 to 499 which a hospital has been designed and constructed to contain. It may also refer to the number of beds set up and staffed for use.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man