Evaluation of an Existing Ostomy Product Formulary: A Pilot Study

Purpose:         
To evaluate an existing ostomy product formulary.

Problem:         
A large tertiary care facility with a commitment to the total well-being of each patient was experiencing increased volume and complexity of ostomy surgeries.  The existing ostomy formulary was not meeting the needs of patients and staff.   The following problems were identified:

    * Inflexibility of the two-piece skin barrier and flange resulting in frequent leakage and peristomal skin irritation;
    * Difficulty “snapping” the pouch and skin barrier together after application to the patient;
    * Excessive use of supplies;
    * Lack of supply continuity across the care continuum.

Methods:
Two surgical units agreed to participate in the evaluation.  Comprehensive educational programs were administered for the professional and ancillary staff who participated.  Prior to implementation of the pilot study it was required that greater than 80 % of the staff participate in the educational series.  The existing ostomy formulary items were removed from two patient care units and the new items were placed in a cart for easy access.  Over a period of one month, the following criteria were evaluated using a 5-point Likert-type scale:

   1. Ease of cutting using cutting guides to correctly size the skin barrier;
   2. Ease of attaching the pouch to the skin barrier;
   3. Ease of application of skin barrier;
   4. Adherence of skin barrier/wear time;
   5. Patient satisfaction/comfort;
   6. Patient education/materials.

Results:
Overall staff and patient satisfaction was rated as excellent or very good and it was recommended that the products be used hospital wide.  Hospital procurement estimates a twenty-five percent overall savings.

Conclusion:
A well organized product evaluation of our ostomy formulary resulted in a selection of a product line which provided better outcomes for our staff and patients and a cost-savings for our facility.

Disclosure Statement: The support of Hollister Incorporated is gratefully acknowledged.