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SEPTEMBER 2015 | The Surgical Technologist | 405 HE A L T H E C ONOMI C S DA T A F OR S C A L P E L I N J UR I E S Available Data Assumption/Calculation Source/Methodology The average hospital cost for a sharps injury reported in 2007 $3,042 O’Malley et al, Costs of Management of Occupational Exposures to Blood and Body Flu- ids, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, July 2007, vol. 28, no. 7 Massachusetts Sharps Injury Surveillance System (2010). Sharps Injuries Among Hospi- tal Workers in Massachusetts. Number of sharps injuries per year in the US 385,000 Decades-old number that has not been adjusted for the number of healthcare workers, number of procedures, number of patients, etc. In addition, this number has not adjust- ed for the non-reporting of sharps injuries. Percentage of sharps injuries that are left unreported in the United States each year 51% (51%-90%) Makary, MA; Al-Attar, A; Holzmueller, CG; Sexton, JB; Syin, D; Gilson, MM; Pronovost, PJ. (2007). Needlestick injuries among surgeons in training. N Engl J of Med , 356(26), 2693-2699. Jagger, J; Berguer, R; Phillips, EK; Parker, G; Gomaa, AE. (2011). Increase in sharps inju- ries in surgical settings versus nonsurgical settings after passage of national needle- stick legislation. AORN, 93(3), 322-330. A range of 51-90% of non-reporting is given. This article references the most conservative number. Percent of sharps injuries due to scalpels 7% (7.0% - 17%) In addition, there is a percentage of scal- pel injuries that are left unreported. Jagger, J; Berguer, R; Phillips, EK; Parker, G; Gomaa, AE. (2011). Increase in sharps inju- ries in surgical settings versus nonsurgical settings after passage of national needle- stick legislation. AORN, 93(3), 322-330. Perry, J; Parker, G; Jagger, J. (2003). Scalpel blades: reducing injury risk. Advances in Exposure Prevention, 6(4), 37-48. A range of 7 to 17.1% injuries due to scalpels is given. The authors have used the 17% figure for scalpel injuries in the OR and 7% figure for inju- ries across all healthcare settings. Total number of injuries due to scalpels per year in the US Surgical 43,633 Non-Surgical 8,982 52,615 scalpel injuries Assuming that 2/3 of scalpels are used in surgery and 1/3 are used in non-surgery set- tings 2/3 * 385,000 *17% = 43,633 surgical injuries 1/3* 385,000 x 7% - 8,982 non-surgical injuries Total economic burden per year on US hospitals due to scalpel injuries $160,054,830 Average cost of sharps injuries multiplied by total number of injuries due to scalpels $3,042 *52,615 injuries = $160,054,830 Total estimated scalpel blades used per year (This includes disposable scalpels plus blades used on reusable scalpels.) 75,000,000 ISIPS calculations and data from vendors Risk premium* per scalpel blade across all blades used per year in the US $2.13 Total economic burden per year on US hospitals due to scalpel injuries / total estimated number of scalpels used. (This excludes medical costs and unreported injury costs.) This total economic burden per year due to scalpel injuries/total estimated scalpel blades per year is the calculated risk premium per scalpel blade. $160,054,830/75,000,000 blades = $2.13 risk premium per blade * Risk premium per scalpel blade is the added cost of the use of a conventional scalpel that must be considered in addition to the purchase price of the blade. The cost of using a conventional scalpel breaks down to this: Cost Explanation $0.25 Average cost of conventional scalpel blades $2.13 Risk premium per conventional scalpel blades as described above $2.38 Total estimated cost for using conventional scalpel blades