Transitioning to an Electronic Tracking system often involves importing your existing CSSD Check Sheets and Surgical Devices data, currently maintained in MS Word or Excel. A common challenge is the varied naming of the same type of surgical instruments.
For instance, Mayo Forceps for example, might be named in several ways:
- 15cm Curved Mayo Forceps
- Mayo Forceps 15cm Curved
- Curved 15cm Mayo Forceps
- Forceps Mayo Curved 15cm
- 6" Mayo Curved Forcep
Let's explore five tips on establishing a consistent naming convention for surgical instruments to simplify this process.
5 tips for Designing a Surgical Instrument Tracking Naming Convention
1. Choose Consistent Units of Measurement
Every instrument should follow the same unit of measurement. Don't use a mix of metric and imperial. This uniformity eliminates discrepancies and enhances search accuracy.
2. Maintain Consistent Case Usage
By choosing to use either upper case or lower case consistently across all instrument names, your reports will look professional and will be easier to read.
3. Simplify Text Characters
Minimising the use of special text characters like &, #, or %. Special characters often disrupt the search process and complicate report reading. Choosing plain English over text characters maintains simplicity and ensures efficient searches and report readability.
4. Understand the Importance of Spaces
A simple space can change an instrument's name, directly impacting your search results.
5. Define a Clear Naming Pattern
Creating a clear naming pattern, such as
Name, Type, Description, Size
This systematic naming format ensures uniformity and helps in distinguishing similar instruments.
conclusion
A uniform naming convention is a simple yet effective tool to enhance the effectiveness of your surgical instrument tracking system. It not only ensures precise retrieval of items but also provides professional, consistent, and easy-to-read reports.
Read the full blog post at the link below:
5 TIPS FOR SETTING UP SURGICAL INSTRUMENT TRACKING NAMING CONVENTIONS
