Patient Warming Plays a Significant Role in Patient Satisfaction, Clinical Outcomes

Warm From Start to Finish

The induction of anesthesia is the single greatest contributor to unintended hypothermia, resulting in 81 percent of total heat loss due to redistribution temperature drop (RTD).¹⁶ Actively warming surgical patients before the induction of anesthesia — known as prewarming — is an effective way to head-off hypothermia before it begins.

Forced-air warming gowns and blankets, when used preoperatively, can prevent hypothermia in most surgical procedures and can delay the onset of hypothermia in longer procedures. When prewarming is combined with intraoperative warming, it can prevent hypothermia for longer procedures as well. Prewarming can easily be incorporated into the pre-surgical routine. A general strategy should include the initiation of warming therapy as soon as patients are admitted to the pre-surgical area.

For convenience, forced-air warming gowns are an ideal solution for obtaining full staff compliance. The patient gown embodies the ideal warming technology because it travels directly with the patient from preop, into the operating room (OR) and then to PACU.

The Parts Comprise the Whole

Patient satisfaction relies on multiple factors and entities to create the best possible patient experience. And the best possible patient experience in turn delivers greater patient satisfaction scores.