A study recently published in The Spine Journal examined the cost of treating patients for adult spinal deformity at hospitals over the years.
Researchers examined 484 consecutive patients undergoing treatment for adult spinal deformity from January 2005 to January 2011 with a minimum of three levels fused. Costs were assessed in 2010 dollars and discounted at 3.5 percent per year.
The researchers found:
1. Total hospital costs were $120,394 on average.
2. Primary surgery costs were $103,143 on average.
3. Readmissions costs were $67,262 per patient.
4. Operating room costs were $70,514 per patient.
5. OR costs were 59 percent of total hospital costs.
6. Total hospital costs increased after primary surgery from $111,807 at one-year follow up to $126,323 at four-year follow up.
7. Physician preferences accounted for $14,780 of other wise unexplained OR cost differences.
8. Readmission increased the average cost of ASD surgery by more than 170 percent.
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