Continuous warmth reduces the risk of costly complications
Patients undergoing anesthesia during surgery experience varying degrees of hypothermia and can experience a core temperature loss of up to three degrees centigrade in the first three hours. Cold patients open hospitals up to costly problems. Even mild cases of anesthetic-induced hypothermia result in a three-fold increase in surgical wound infections, a tripling of cardiac morbidity, coagulopathy, and prolonged emergence and recovery, which translate into longer hospital stays, increased costs and dissatisfied patients. Heat Treat medical warming blankets help hospitals reduce risk and keep patients safe with consistent, continuous warmth for up to 12 hours.
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are designed for hospitals; ambulatory surgery, endoscopy and dialysis centers; and other health care facilities where keeping patients safe and warm is a priority.
Hospitals today can ill afford the domino effect of complications, escalating expenses, and potential regulatory problems triggered by patient hypothermia. Studies show hypothermia of only 1.5 degrees Centigrade below normal caused cumulative adverse outcomes which added $2,500 to $7,000 per surgical patient to hospital costs due to longer hospital stays; increased use of red blood cell, plasma and platelets; increased need for mechanical ventilation; and increased cardiac problems.
Traditional cotton blankets are inefficient. Forced-air warming devices pose a new set of risks. Here's why hospitals are turning to self-heating Heat Treat medical warming blankets:
Heat Treat medical warming blankets provide up to 12 hours of continuous warmth. One blanket can take patients through the entire perioperative experience. Patients who maintain normal body temperature during surgery have fewer hypothermia-related complications. Longer surgeries may require additional blankets.
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are safe. They do not cause the hosing burns and nosocomial infections seen with forced-air warming devices.
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are economical. Cotton blankets are costly. The average cost of one blanket, factoring in theft, loss and cleaning expenses, is $1.08 per use. An average of nine cotton blankets are used during a patient’s perioperative experience for a total cost of $9.72 per patient. Heat Treat medical warming blankets are cost efficient and there are no associated energy costs.
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are environmentally friendly and use no energy. No electricity is required to heat these innovative warming blankets, thanks to a natural, safe chemical reaction that heats the blanket in 20 minutes and maintains the optimal temperature for up to 12 hours. Compared to forced-air warming devices, the energy savings are substantial.
Heat Treat medical warming blankets are noise free. The blowers employed by forced-air warmers generate tremendous environmental noise—over 50 decibels—and pose a significant distraction during surgery. Heat Treat medical warming blankets don't have blowers and make no noise.
Heat Treat medical warming blankets earn high marks. Clinical studies conducted by Heat Treat showed that nurses find Heat Treat easy to use and physicians find Heat Treat’s Continuous Thermal Coverage an effective management tool for hypothermia. One hundred percent of patients said they would use Heat Treat medical warming blankets again and recommend it to others.
Contact us to set up a trial study of Heat Treat warming blankets at your facility.
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