1.  The SURGICHIP® is programmed at the time of the preoperative outpatient visit, in the physician’s office, in the emergency room, or on the hospital floor if the patient has been admitted. The information is either entered manually or extracted from the hospital information system. The following information is always encoded on the chip: a) Name of patient, b) Surgical site, c) Side of surgery, d) Name of surgeon, e) Procedure f) Date of surgery g) Birth date and h) Medical record number. The information on the chip is verified using a desk top RFID reader, preferably with the assistance of the patient. If the hospital MIS is used to populate the information grid, the screen can be visualized only by
entering the correct operative site and side as passwords.


2.  If bilateral procedures are identical, one chip is used; if bilateral procedures are not identical, two chips are necessary.

3.  In the holding area the SURGICHIP® is scanned with a portable RFID reader by a member of the surgical team and the information is reviewed by the patient to confirm accuracy. If the patient is not competent, the information is reviewed by a member of the surgical team.

4.  The preliminary shave and prep are performed; the site is thoroughly dried and marked per the Universal Protocol™. The SURGICHIP® is affixed adjacent to the mark on the incision site allowing the mark to remain visible. In order to avoid compromising the strength of the adhesive, the SURGICHIP® should not be removed and repositioned. Note the incision site is marked and tagged, not the general area; e.g., the anterior aspect of the knee is not marked if a posterior incision is intended. This ensures the mark will be visible when the incision is made. If the patient is allergic to all adhesives, the chip is placed on the wristband.

5.  In the operating room, a member of the surgical team reads the SURGICHIP®
using a portable RFID reader and reviews all information. If a discrepancy is noted, it is either resolved or the surgery is cancelled.

6.  The patient is placed in the final position for surgery.

7.  The SURGICHIP® is removed and placed in the patient’s chart. After the SURGICHIP® is no longer in place, the position of the patient must not be changed except by direct order of the surgeon, surgical resident or P.A.-C. (For the highest degree of safety, it is recommended that the surgeon scrub, and after returning to the operating room direct another member of the surgical team to remove the chip.)

8.  The sterile prep and draping are then performed.

9.  The Universal Protocol™ “time out” is accomplished, and the incision is made with the site mark clearly visible.
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