A study in Foot & Ankle International compared outpatient and inpatient total ankle arthroplasty outcomes in regards to cost effectiveness and patient satisfaction.
The researchers identified 36 patients who underwent total ankle arthroplasty; 21 of whom received outpatient surgery and 15 of whom received inpatient surgery. They collected data related to patient demographics, estimated blood loss, comorbidities, concomitant procedures, complications, return ED visits and readmissions.
Here's what you need to know:
1. For the inpatient group, the average length of stay was 2.5 days.
2. The outpatient group cost 13.4 percent less than the inpatient group, representing cost savings of almost $2,500 per case.
3. There were no postoperative readmissions within 30 days for either group, although one outpatient had a return emergency department visit for urinary retention.
4. The majority of both groups — 71 percent of the outpatient group and 93 percent of the inpatient group — reported they would not have changed to the other postoperative admission status if they were to undergo the procedure for a second time.
The researchers concluded, "With proper patient selection, OTAA was beneficial to both the patient and the health care system by driving down total cost."