Free supplies for doctors

[sharann, BSN, RN]

We are a non-profit(right) private hospital and a large portion of our patients have no insurance or are on public assistance. We have several surgeons ((from one practice) who always order "send suture removal kit" home with patient. So when they go for the follow up they have the supplie to remove stiches and the hospital pays I guess? Or is this the norm around town?

Why don't the docs have to supply their own clinics or practices?

[mandana]

Interesting. I've seen this a lot lately, but I didn't understand it. I think it may be getting clearer now.

Amanda

[mommy2boys]

It sounds like the doctor doesn't want to stock/clean a suture removal kit in their office. I think that this doctor doesn't want to pay for this kit themselves. It all comes down to them saving money for themselves and not caring about the bottom line of the hospital.

JMO

Erin

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

I work where clinics are funded and supported by a facility and the doc themselves via the private practice. So the Docs do pay for much, but do get some supplies from a large facility (like the hosptials).

Many of our clinics donate these needed items to LTC/SNF or to NWmedical teams! In fact, the ALF I worked in got supplies donated, and if we didn't use them...or a brand new Rx came in for a patient that passed (within the law!) we also passed them along to NW medical teams! And equipment like hoyers, scooters, BSC, and the like...were too donated to charitable organizations!

That is a win win! Pass it along! :) Someone down the line will benifit!

[sharann, BSN, RN]

The other thing I wonder about is OR supplies that are asked for by surgeons(catheters, sterile packs, various disposable thing) that are not billed for or documented, just taken or borrowed. Is this commonplace? Then when it comes time to order who gets dinged for the budget problems?

I have also personally witnessed a doctor walk off with a huge jug of hibiclens soap(he took it to his private surgery center office).

If nurses, RT's ,Techs, did this you can imagine how that would go over. We have to charge for disposable ice bags and yet they can take a $50 bottle of soap?

[suzanne4, RN]

Bring it up to your manager's attention. A suture removal set to remove sutures on a patient is one thing that had surgery at your facility , but a gallon of Hibiclens for his private surgery center where he is already billing for maximum amount of dollars if just plain sleazy and cheap.

If you really have the time to have some fun, just document a list with all of the supplies that you see someone leave with over a period of several weeks and submit that.

I am sure that things will change. As long as they figure that they can get away with it, they will.

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Suzanne, this is exactly what I have been doing. Another nurse caught a different surgeon trying to walk out with a whole armful of hospital supplied scrubs. They then wear them out(not supposes to) and to and from other hospitals(so not clean).

[pediatriclpn]

I once worked at a personal care facility, we had a suture removal kit ordered for one resident. It was charged to them when used. And should have been thrown away. We had nurse who worked in a physician's office as a part time job, she took the kit, had it resterilized at the physician's office, brought it back to the PCF, put a charge sticker on it, and reused it on another resident when they needed stitches removed. This was done several times over and over again.I reported it to the administrator of the facility and the DON, they had not ethical problem with it. Needless to say, I didn't stay there long.

[suzanne4, RN]

Suzanne, this is exactly what I have been doing. Another nurse caught a different surgeon trying to walk out with a whole armful of hospital supplied scrubs. They then wear them out(not supposes to) and to and from other hospitals(so not clean).

Have you actually given the list to anyone yet? I would love to see the look on their faces when you do.

And especially when they turn down a raise because they do not have the money. That will get fixed then real fast.:uhoh21:

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Not yet but don't worry, it will be soon.

Technically we are again without a manager(had 4 in the past 5 years, with none for 3 of them). We will have to go quite high up there with this.

[grinnurse, RN]

We have one OB/GYN that does this all the time with the suture removal kits. Ours are charge items so we remove the sticker before we send it home with the patient.