Lincul, David A

Email Address
ORCID
Disciplines
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Position
Introduction
Research Interests

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Publication
    Propofol Waste Reduction in the Operating Room
    (2019-12-21) Lincul, David A; Chambers, Elizabeth R; Fitzhenry, John J
    Propofol is the most wasted intravenous medication used in anesthesia in the operating room (OR) (More, Dabhade, & Ghongane, 2015). Propofol, a sedative anxiolytic, is utilized as a continuous infusion in sedation procedures, or monitored anesthesia care (Nagelhout & Elisha, 2014). Inherent to these infusions is unpredictability in determining the amount of medication needed for the duration of a procedure. This project implemented customized propofol preparation charts consistent with the literature to aid the administering professional in determining the approximate milliliter requirement for the duration of a procedure. The pre-intervention steps consisted of voluntary data collection among anonymous anesthesia professionals in the OR regarding infusion characteristics. Patient weight, a commonly used infusion rate, and the duration of procedure were used in the calculation within customized charts. Post-intervention data collection was conducted in the same manner to capture the impact of the charts. This data was measured simultaneously at a local healthcare system’s main hospital and separate surgery center site, and waste reduction from baseline data was found to be 49% and 60%, respectively. This project was conducted over a four-month period and translates to a potential yearly savings of greater than $15,000 for the healthcare system. A culture of waste reduction leads to savings for anesthesia departments and healthcare organizations as a whole.