Providing outpatient total hip arthroplasty may help surgery centers and hospitals mitigate cost, according to a study published in HSS Journal.
The researchers investigated outcomes and costs associated with patients who received inpatient or outpatient hip replacements between the years 2008 and 2011. These cases were performed by a single surgeon at the same facility.
Here's what you need to know:
1. The researchers note that outpatient total hip arthroplasty has grown in recent years, due to developments in recovery and pain management. In this study, 119 patients received the outpatient procedure.
2. The researchers found no difference between the complication rate of the outpatient group compared with the inpatient group.
3. The average overall cost for the outpatient procedure was $24,529. The average overall cost for the inpatient procedure was $31,327.
4. The researchers conclude that their study "demonstrates that appropriately selected patients can undergo THA in an outpatient setting with no increase in complications and at a substantial savings to the healthcare system."