Latest Drilling Techniques Applied to Coring Operations of a Complex Subsurface Geology in WCSB Led to Operational Success and Cost Savings While Setting a Record in North America

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Hooshmandkoochi ◽  
Farid Shirkavand ◽  
Richard Prokopchuk ◽  
Nadine Osayande ◽  
Ali Yousefi Sadat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Subsurface Geology

scholarly journals A113 COST SAVINGS OF SEROLOGIC VERSUS BIOPSY PROVEN DIAGNOSIS OF PEDIATRIC CELIAC DISEASE

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 131-132
Author(s):  
M Wiepjes ◽  
H Q Huynh ◽  
J Wu ◽  
M Chen ◽  
L Shirton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Celiac Disease ◽  
North America ◽  
Cost Saving ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Serologic Diagnosis ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Care System

Abstract Background Celiac disease (CD) affects approximately one percent of the population in Canada and the United States. At present, endoscopic diagnosis (ED) of CD remains the gold standard in North America, despite mounting evidence and validated European guidelines for serologic diagnosis (SD). Within publicly funded healthcare systems there is pressure to ensure optimal resource utilization and cost efficiency, including for endoscopic services. At Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton, Canada, we have adopted serologic diagnosis as routine practice since 2016. Aims The aim of this study is to estimate cost savings, i.e. hard dollar savings and capacity improvements, to the health care system as well as impacts on families in regard to reduced work days lost and missing child school days for SD versus ED. Initial cost saving data is presented. Methods Micro-costing methods were used to determine health care resource use in patients undergoing ED or SD from 2017–2018. SD testing included anti-tissue glutaminase antibody (aTTG) ≥200IU/mL (on two occasions), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQA5/DQ2, blood sampling, transport and laboratory costs. ED diagnosis included gastroenterologist, anesthetist, OR equipment, staff, overhead and histopathology. Cost of each unit of resource was obtained from the schedule of medical benefits (Alberta) and reported average ambulatory cost for day hospital endoscopy for Stollery Children’s Hospital determined in 2016; reported in CAN$. Results Between March 2017-December 2018, 473 patients were referred for diagnosis of CD; 233 had ED and 127 SD. Estimated cost for ED was $1240 per patient; for SD was $85 per patient (6.8% of ED cost). Based on 127 patients not requiring endoscopy and a cost saving of $1155 per patient there was a total cost savings of $146,685 over 22 months. Conclusions A SD approach presents a significant cost savings to the public health care system. It also frees up valuable endoscopic resources, and limits exposure of children to the immediate and long-term risks associated with anesthesia and biopsy. SD also decreases time to diagnosis and the cost of the process to families (lost days of school/work, travel costs etc.). Our costing data can be used in combination with mounting evidence on the test performance of SD versus ED to determine cost-effectiveness of serological diagnosis for pediatric CD. Given the potential for cost saving and more efficient operating room utilization, SD for pediatric CD warrants further investigation in North America. Funding Agencies None

Girth Weld ECA From the Perspective of Code Revisions in North America

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Yi Wang ◽  
Jim F. Swatzel ◽  
David Horsley ◽  
Alan Glover
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Fracture Criterion ◽  
Safety Margin ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Step Function ◽  
Weld Strength ◽  
Plastic Collapse ◽  
Defect Assessment ◽  
Girth Welds ◽  
Continuous Relation

In North America there are two primary girth weld ECA (Engineering Critical Assessment) codes: API 1104 Appendix A and CSA Z662 Appendix K. Both codes were developed in the early-to mid-1980’s and thus represent the technology of that time. Significant progress has been made since then in understanding the structural behavior of girth welds containing welding defects. This paper describes an effort funded by the PRCI (Pipeline Research Council International) to establish the technical basis for the revisions of these codes using the knowledge generated since the inception of the codes. The CSA Z662 Appendix K sets defect tolerance using separate fracture and plastic collapse criteria, while API 1104 Appendix A has only a fracture criterion. The worldwide trend in defect assessment is moving towards FAD (Failure Assessment Diagram) based approach, by which both fracture and plastic collapse can be assessed in one consistent format. An FAD-based ECA procedure specifically tailored to girth welds has been developed in a separate PRCI-funded project. This procedure incorporates refined fracture and plastic collapse solutions and the effects of weld strength mismatch. The experimental verification has shown that the procedure is accurate and can become the basis for future code revisions. As an interim step towards the eventual adoption of a fully FAD-based approach, a number of revisions may be made to the API 1104 Appendix A, including (1) adding a plastic collapse criterion; (2) lowering the minimum CTOD requirement of using Appendix A to 0.003 inch (0.076 mm) from the current minimum of 0.005 inch (0.127 mm); (3) setting the allowable defect length as a continuous function of defect depth (height for buried defects); (4) allowing the use of any valid CTOD toughness greater than a set minimum value; (5) revising the notching procedure for HAZ CTOD testing. These recommendations are interdependent. Selectively adopting any of those recommendations may result in undesirable consequences. For instance, lowering minimum CTOD requirements necessitates the revision of allowable defect height. Adding the plastic collapse criterion would almost certainly require the change of defect length allowance of the fracture criterion from the current step function to a continuous relation. It should be made absolutely clear that lowering the minimum CTOD requirements for using Appendix A does not mean inferior weld quality control. It merely allows the assessment of significance of weld defects using the fracture mechanics methodology that has been proven effective. The interim step for the CSA Z662 Appendix K is revising the plastic collapse criterion. These revisions, when implemented, should result in more consistent degree of conservatism than the current codes. In certain cases, the size of the allowable defects is less restrictive than the current codes while maintaining consistent and adequate safety margin. This should translate to cost savings in both new construction and the maintenance of existing pipelines without sacrificing the safety and integrity of the pipelines.

Effects of Bispectral Index Monitoring on Ambulatory Anesthesia

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spencer S. Liu
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Bispectral Index ◽  
Recovery Room ◽  
Ambulatory Surgery ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Unit Cost ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Patient Discharge ◽  
Ambulatory Anesthesia ◽  
The Cost

Background Ambulatory surgery is growing in popularity worldwide. For example, 50-70% of surgical procedures in North America are performed on an ambulatory basis. Use of Bispectral Index (BIS) monitoring for titration of general anesthesia may allow use of less anesthetics, reduction in side effects, and faster patient recovery. Methods MEDLINE and other databases were searched for randomized controlled trials examining the use of BIS monitoring versus standard practice in ambulatory surgery patients. Outcomes were extracted from these articles, and a meta-analysis was performed. Results One thousand three hundred eighty subjects from 11 trials were included in the meta-analysis. The use of BIS monitoring significantly reduced anesthetic consumption by 19%, reduced the incidence of nausea/vomiting (32% vs. 38%; odds ratio, 0.77), and reduced time in the recovery room by 4 min. However, these benefits did not result in significant reduction in time until patient discharge from the ambulatory surgery unit. Cost analysis using pooled costs to reflect North America, Europe, and Asia indicated that use of BIS monitoring increased the cost per patient by 5.55 US dollars because of the cost of BIS electrodes. Conclusions The use of BIS monitoring modestly reduced anesthetic consumption, risk of nausea and vomiting, and recovery room time. These benefits did not reduce time spent in the ambulatory surgery unit, and cost of the BIS electrode exceeded any cost savings.

Application of an image management system in microscopy

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 1052-1053
Author(s):  
Richard S. Chemock
Keyword(s):  
Data Storage ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Image Data ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Operational Mode ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Image Recording ◽  
Primary Output ◽  
Capacity Data ◽  
Image Management System

One of the most common tasks in a typical analysis lab is the recording of images. Many analytical techniques (TEM, SEM, and metallography for example) produce images as their primary output. Until recently, the most common method of recording images was by using film. Current PS/2R systems offer very large capacity data storage devices and high resolution displays, making it practical to work with analytical images on PS/2s, thereby sidestepping the traditional film and darkroom steps. This change in operational mode offers many benefits: cost savings, throughput, archiving and searching capabilities as well as direct incorporation of the image data into reports.The conventional way to record images involves film, either sheet film (with its associated wet chemistry) for TEM or PolaroidR film for SEM and light microscopy. Although film is inconvenient, it does have the highest quality of all available image recording techniques. The fine grained film used for TEM has a resolution that would exceed a 4096x4096x16 bit digital image.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document