Research published in Acta Orthopaedics examined the time-driven activity-based cost of outpatient total hip and knee arthroplasty.
Researchers examined data from six patients from ambulatory surgery and hospital orthopedic departments collected using the time driven activity-based costing method.
Here are the key details to know:
1. The length of stay for those in the ambulatory surgery department was seven hours, while the length of stay for the hospital was 11 hours.
2. Costs for the patients were relatively the same, with ambulatory surgery patients paying accumulated expenses of $746 and hospital patients paying $777.
3. "Outpatient THA and TKA in hospital and ambulatory surgery departments results in similar cost using the TDABC method. Compared with the cost associated with two day stays, outpatient procedures are around two-thirds cheaper provided no increase occurs in complications or readmissions," researchers concluded.