Read more SurgiCount stories on Newserhttp://www.newser.com/taggrid/19989/surgicount.htmlhttp://img1-cdn.newser.com/images/newser-black250x40.gifhttp://www.newser.com/2012 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorThu, 24 May 2012 13:09:17 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/15443/new-tech-tracks-things-left-behind.htmlKatherine Thompson<img src='http://img1-cdn.newser.com/getimage.aspx?mediaid=59946&width=45&height=45&crop=Y&updateddate=20110401023809' border='0' />Hospitals are turning to technology to cut down on incidents of doctors sewing up surgical patients with sponges and other items left inside, the Chicago Tribune reports. A bar-coding system to ensure what goes in comes back out is one solution; another involves tagging items with chips that allow them..."It's a giant issue," said Medline's primary-care division, Jack Bowser, of the sponge detection technology. "Clearly, adding any additional costs, you get a little push-back from the hospitals. But if you average only one retained object a year, [the system] pays for itself."http://www.newser.com/story/15443/new-tech-tracks-things-left-behind.htmlWed, 02 Jan 2008 14:12:00 CST