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Hidden Cost Calculator for
Latex Surgical Gloves

Introducing the Medline Hidden Cost Calculator for Latex-Based Surgical Gloves

A pathway to long-term savings while safeguarding your staff, patients and healthcare facility

Current situation

Latex gloves are widely used in healthcare facilities across Europe, due to their perceived high performance and low cost. However, the use of latex gloves may pose issues related to latex-based allergies. This may contribute to staff shortages (EUCommission, 2020), surgery backlogs (Van Ginneken, 2022), and increased expenditures (Kaufman, 2022). Therefore, the continued use of latex gloves may contribute to hidden costs due to latex allergy-related increases in sick leave and surgical delays.

While the use of synthetic gloves may come with higher short-term expenses, they could compensate for this by offering long-term benefits that can outweigh the initial investment. Therefore, given the prevalence of latex-induced allergies amongst healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients—as well as the potential hidden costs associated with latex glove use—an increasing number of healthcare facilities decided to switch to synthetic gloves (Wharton, Thomas, & Henderson, 2016). Fortunately, with an experienced supplier and partner, this transition can be seamless.

Hidden cost simulation

The Medline Hidden Cost Calculator is intended to be a tool to facilitate your exploration and understanding of the potential hidden costs related to the use of latex-based surgical gloves. This exercise, in addition to other data points/resources available to you, can support the decisions you will make regarding gloves use.

This calculator is based on references and data supported by scientific research as made available by reputable sources (see complete list below). These include academic papers, case studies by the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in the United States (Wharton, Thomas, & Henderson, 2016), and global organisations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) (WHO, 2021) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2021), tailored for each country. More information how we calculate the hidden costs can be provided upon request.

Limitation: This calculator is intended for demonstration purposes only. Since the calculation is based on statistical data, the result does not reflect the financial impact of latex-based allergies on a specific healthcare facility. Medline does not guarantee any savings and provides a mere indication of potential costs.

How to use the Medline Hidden Cost Calculator

  1. Select your country from the dropdown menu on the top left-hand side of the calculator.
  2. To proceed with the calculations, enter your facility’s annual volumes and current prices for latex-based and latex-free gloves in the input fields located in the left column.
  3. Lastly, provide information about your operating theatre department, including the number of healthcare workers and annual procedure count.

Results

Once you have provided all the necessary inputs, our calculator will estimate the potential hidden costs associated with latex glove use and, if applicable, demonstrate estimated savings from transitioning to latex-free surgical gloves. The results will be presented in a clear, visual format with a stacked bar chart for effortless cost comparisons.

Medline Hidden Cost Calculator

Input Fields

0

Estimated Risks

Simulated Latex Hidden Costs

Current simulated expense for latex gloves (purchase price plus latex-related hidden costs)

£ 0

Simulated cost of 100% use of latex-free gloves

£ 0

Estimated savings based on simulation.

£ 0

Save

Contact your local Medline representative to discuss switching today!

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Note

The data about costs used for this tool is sourced from scientific studies, which reported values in US dollars. While these studies represent the latest findings in the scientific community, they were conducted in different years. Therefore, to ensure consistency, the calculator assumes a 1:1 exchange rate, addressing any potential currency fluctuations over time.

References
  1. Belsito, D. V. (2005). Occupational contact dermatitis: Etiology, prevalence, and resultant impairment/disability. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 303-313.
  2. Bland Jones, C. (2008). Revisiting Nurse Turnover Costs Adjusting for Inflation. THE JOURNAL OF NURSING ADMINISTRATION, 11-18.
  3. Candrilli, S., & Kurosk, S. (2015). Recent Trends In Anaphylaxis-Related Hospitalization In The United . VALUE IN HEALTH, A503.
  4. Da Silva Costa Jr., A. (2017). Assessment of operative times of multiple surgical specialties in a public university hospital. Health Economics and Management, 200-205.
  5. EUCommission. (2020). Put the horse before the cart: Investing in health requires investing in health workforce. Retrieved from Health-EU newsletter: https://health.ec.europa.eu/other-pages/basic-page/health-eu-newsletter-250-focus_en#:~:text=There%20is%20an%20estimated%20shortage,leaving%20other%20countries%20with%20shortages.
  6. Kaufman, H. &. (2022). The Financial Effects of Hospital Workforce Dislocation. A Special Workforce Edition of the National Hospital Flash Report, 1-14.
  7. Lieberman, P. (2002). Anaphylactic reactions during surgical and medical procedures. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology , 64-69.
  8. Lindor, R. A., McMahon, E. M., Wood, J. P., Sadosty, A. T., Boie, E. T., & Campbell, R. L. (2018). Anaphylaxis-related Malpractice Lawsuits. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency.
  9. Macario, A. (2010). What does one minute of operating room time cost? Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, 233-236.
  10. Malte John, S., Duus Johansenn, J., Rustemeyer, T., & Elsner, P. M. (2020). Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology.
  11. OECD. (2021). OECD i Library. Retrieved from https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/f46b50a7-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/f46b50a7-en
  12. Phillips, V. L., Goodrich, M. A., & Sullivan, T. J. (1999). Health Care Worker Disability Due to Latex Allergy and Asthma: A Cost Analysis. America Journal of Public Health, 1024-1028.
  13. Ranta, P. M., & Ownby, D. R. (2004). A Review of Natural-Rubber Latex Allergy in Health Care Workers. HEALTHCARE EPIDEMIOLOGY, 252-256.
  14. Reines, H. D., & Seifert, P. C. (2005). Patient Safety: Latex Allergy. Surgical Clinics of North America, 1329-1340.
  15. Taylor, J. S., & Erkek, E. (2004). Latex allergy: diagnosis and management. Dermatologic Therapy, 289-301.
  16. Van Ginneken, E. S. (2022). Addressing backlogs and managing waiting lists during and beyond the covid-19 pandemic. Eurohealth, 35-40.
  17. Vandenplas, O., & Raulf, M. (2017). Occupational Latex Allergy: the Current State of Affairs. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 1-11.
  18. Wharton, K. R., Thomas, J., & Henderson, P. (2016). Can converting to synthetic surgical gloves lower hospital operating room costs? Alta Bates Summit Medical Center , 1-10.
  19. Wharton, K. R., Thomas, J., Henderson, P., & Fields, L. (2016). Can converting to synthetic surgical gloves lower hospital operating room costs? Retrieved from OR Mnaager: https://www.ormanager.com/can-converting-synthetic-surgical-gloves-lower-hospital-operating-room-costs/
  20. WHO. (2021). European Health Information Gateway. Retrieved from World Health Organization European Region: https://gateway.euro.who.int/en/indicators/hfa_539-6031-total-number-of-inpatient-surgical-procedures-per-year/visualizations/#id=19634
  21. Wu, M., McIntosh, J., & Liu, J. (2016). Current prevalence rate of latex allergy: Why it remains a problem? Journal of Occupational Health, 138-144.
  22. Zheng, B., Panton, O. N., & Al-Tayeb, T. A. (2011). Operative length independently affected by surgical team size: data from 2 Canadian hospitals. Canadian Medical Association, 371-376.