Cost Savings by Standardising Patient Temperature Measurement in the Hospital.
The Problem
Several brands of digital thermometers were being used in the hospital in conjunction with 20 tympanic membrane thermometers.
Wards were managing their digital thermometers in different ways. In emergency department, nurses were issued a thermometer which they were then responsible for. Other wards had thermometers for general use and found they had to replace them regularly as they were easily lost.
Annual digital thermometer expenditure was about $32,000 and another $20,000 was spent on thermometer probe covers.
While the digital thermometers are accurate instruments (+/-0.1degree C), accuracy was compromised by site placement and timing issues. Measuring time takes up to 2 minutes, but some nurses were removing the thermometer the moment it displayed a reading rather than waiting for the stable reading 'beep'. During rounds in some wards, alcohol was used as a sterilising agent between patients rather than using thermometer covers. Infection control was thus dependant on the alcohol application technique, and the process added further time between readings due to the longer handling procedure. Alcohol was potentially causing further delay by evaporative cooling (unverified).
The Solution
It was proposed that where possible to standardise to one type of tympanic thermometer.
Tyco agreed to supply 60 Genius 2 tympanic thermometers and and to continue to replace them as normal wear and tear occurs. The hospital's only cost would then be purchasing the consumable probe covers.
Further advantages were seen as:
- 7 seconds for a reading
- One measurement site
- One type of tympanometer
- Easily calibrated
- Probe covers have been significanly reduced in price, and an additional bulk quantity advantage has been secured.
The Results
This policy was implemented early in 2008 and projected cost savings for the year look to be significant.
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