Warren Loken, Director of Data and Analytics at Augustine Surgical, details how to compare costs between forced-air warming blankets and the HotDog® Temperature Management System in this short video. You’ll learn how you should be saving money on your patient warming costs.

HotDog Patient Warming: The Safer, Cost-Efficient Solution for Surgeries

HotDog vs. Forced-air Warming

Forced-air warming solutions are commonly used in the marketplace, but they come with a significant drawback – they are disposable. In contrast, the HotDog Patient Warming System is a reusable solution that offers two ways to adopt it. You can either make a capital expenditure or participate in our HotDog Partnership Program, which allows you to pay a low monthly fee from your operating budget. At first glance, the capital expenditure might seem higher, but let me explain why HotDog proves to be much less expensive in the long run.

Reusable vs. Single Use Devices

Let’s delve into the cost comparison. For forced-air warming, the average cost per use is around $10.16, considering the average sales price of forced-air blankets and supplementary cotton blankets. On the other hand, the HotDog System is designed to be reusable, and we calculate the cost per patient based on the amortized cost of the products over their useful life. The controller lasts for 10 years, while the blankets and mattresses last for two years. Considering this, the HotDog annual capital allocation comes to approximately $2,300 per year.

When we compare the costs for 663 patients, the savings with HotDog are significant. The cost per patient drops to just $3.45, resulting in a savings of $6.71 or 66% per patient compared to forced-air warming. Annualized, forced-air warming costs around $6,736, while HotDog only costs $2,289, saving you a whopping $4,447 in just one year!

The break-even point is another crucial aspect to consider. With forced-air warming, you would spend $561 per month and $13,472 over two years. On the other hand, with HotDog, the capital allocation is $6,857. The break-even point between the two options is at 13 months, meaning that from that point forward, you’re way ahead with HotDog, enjoying the cost savings.

Other Benefits

The benefits of HotDog go beyond just cost savings. Switching to our air-free system can lower operating costs, reduce supply inventory and reordering efforts, increase warming productivity and capacity, and minimize waste and energy usage. Most importantly, HotDog patients experience safer and better outcomes, with a reduction of 22.7% in hypothermic outcomes post-surgery.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the HotDog Patient Warming System is not only a cost-efficient solution but also a safer and more effective one. The savings are significant, reaching 66% based on the capital model and 50% on the Partnership Program model. So, if you want to enhance patient outcomes, streamline your processes, and save on costs, HotDog is the way to go.

Thank you for considering HotDog Patient Warming: the only way to warm for safer and more cost-effective surgeries!