Why Not Performing Surgical Counts Will Cost You

Surgical counts – a very important task for medical personnel working in operating rooms everywhere. We’re not trying to alarm you, but we need to emphasize how important performing accurate surgical counts are  in your operating room.

The way surgical counts are performed may vary from facility to facility. However, in general, this count is the process of counting all surgical instruments before and after surgery. If the count is less after the surgery, you know there is an instrument either misplaced, lost on the floor or worse – retained inside the patient.

In the case that a surgical count is not performed appropriately, it can be costly in the fact that surgical instruments are rather expensive. If the instruments are lost inside the patient, the patient would most likely need another operation or exam to correct that mistake, also costly. So performing surgical counts are crucial for not only your facility’s sake, but also your patients.

Have you ever experienced a lost surgical instrument in your facility’s operating room? Tell us your story below!