Medical Professionals: Administrative
Executives & Medical Directors
Needs
-Effective warming to achieve the benefits of normothermia and score high for patient comfort and satisfaction.
-Meet the SCIP and PQRS warming guidelines.
-Provide the best and safest care for the patient.
-Satisfy staff.
-Achieve cost savings.
Why HotDog Excels
All of these needs fit perfectly with HotDog’s value proposition. HotDog can be your complete perioperative warming solution, or it can be used in specialty rooms like orthopedics.
Risk Managers
Needs
-Risk reduction.
-An air-free warming system.
Why HotDog Excels
HotDog, being air-free, is safer—especially for orthopedics and cardiac—because the sterile field is not disrupted by contaminated waste heat.
Frequently Asked Questions from Risk Managers Answered by Dr. Augustine:
A: We didn’t recognize the problem when I was running the company that sold Bair Hugger, and remarkably over 20 years no one else did either. About six years after I left the company, we accidentally discovered the unintended consequence of FAW: the waste hot air vents near the floor, heats the contaminated air resident near the floor, and then rises alongside the table into the sterile surgical field. We became very concerned about patient safety in ultra-clean surgeries such as total joint replacements. A single airborne germ landing on an implant can cause a devastating infection by protecting itself with biofilm.
A: The research speaks for itself.
In the past four years, six studies have been published proving the waste heat contamination problem. One study showed 2000x more particles were present in the air above the surgical site when FAW was used compared to air-free conductive fabric warming (Legg & Hamer, 2013). Not a single study has been published refuting airborne contamination from FAW. I think 3M has purposefully not engaged in this research for obvious reasons. I am not counting Sessler’s study because I have been on record calling it research fraud.
One large outcome study showed a 74% reduction in deep joint infections (3.1% Þ 0.81%), after FAW was stopped. The hospital switched to HotDog (McGovern, 2011). In contrast, there are zero outcome studies showing FAW safety in orthopedic implant surgery.
A: My company is not party to those suits, so I don’t have information beyond what is public. Given the research, however, I’m certainly not surprised.
A: There may ultimately be thousands of plaintiffs—thousands of catastrophically injured patients who will most likely be permanently disabled…if they survive. Of course clinicians should care. No clinician, once he or she has all the facts, will expose a patient to such risk.
Infection Control Practitioners
Needs
The safest possible warming system.
Why HotDog Excels
HotDog products are designed for easy cleaning. The shell is non-porous, and the edges are RF-sealed to prevent fluid ingress. An antimicrobial solution is embedded in the outer shell to prevent the growth of micro-organisms. More on cleaning here: Infection Control Info.
In contrast, forced-air systems are frequently contaminated and are impossible to clean. One study found that 100% of blowers tested in a hospital were emitting germ-sized particles. More in Research.
Materials Managers, Product Procurement, and Perioperative Cost Specialists
Needs
Cost effective solutions. Comprehensive perioperative solution across surgical specialties and Pre-OP/PACU. “Green” initiatives.
Why HotDog Excels
HotDog can save more than 50% on warming costs, simplify life by being the complete solution, and satisfy a number of institutional initiatives. More information here.
Biomedical Engineers
Needs
A durable product with minimal labor that satisfies electrical requirements and has proven back-end support.
Why HotDog Excels
HotDog products require very little maintenance. The blankets and mattresses have a two-year warranty and a 30-month expiration. Our CS department is on call and happy to assist with any needs you may have.
Manuals and Quality Information can be found here.