Development of a Reusable Patient Blanket for a Forced-Air Patient Warmer

Abstract

A forced-air patient warming system is used at Vancouver General Hospital to warm surgical patients. Special disposable patient covers (blankets) are used with the warmers to distribute warmed air over the patient. These disposables add over $150,000 to the Hospital’s operating budget. Because of the cost of the disposables, Hospital staff have been substituting layered flannel sheets for the disposable blankets, a practice that does not always provide as effective warming and under some circumstances, may be unsafe. As an alternative to the disposable blanket, the Biomedical Engineering Department has developed a washable fabric blanket that works as well as the disposable blanket with a cost per use that is 80% less. This cost includes manufacture, laundry, inspection, replacement if necessary, and delivery. Although the reusable blanket is an effective, safe, and economical alternative to the disposable blanket, a number of issues have delayed the introduction of the product.