title: [Evaluation of the impact of the introduction of a functional knee arthroplasty unit].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a functional knee arthroplasty unit in Hospital de l'Esperança (Barcelona) on resource consumption, quality indicators and the direct costs of the healthcare process.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective study based on two cross-sections: the first in 317 patients who underwent surgery in 2004 before the implementation of the functional knee arthroplasty unit and the second in 624 patients who underwent surgery in 2005. Data related to the process, complications and costs were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean length of hospital stay decreased by 9 days (p<0.001). The number of patients requiring convalescence after the intervention increased by 9.5% (p<0.001). Overall, the total cost of the healthcare process decreased by 16%, from 9,031.34 to 7,591.54 euro (p<0.001). This cost reduction was due to decreases in the length of hospital stay (2,946.0 vs. 1,616.8 euro), surgery costs (2,156.7 vs. 1,776.7 euro) and prosthesis costs (2,730.5 vs. 2,678.1 euro).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of the functional knee arthroplasty unit reduced overall costs and length of hospital stay and substantially increased activity while maintaining a similar complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Servei d'Avaluació i Epidemiologia Clínica, Institut Municipal d'Assistència Sanitària (IMAS), Barcelona, Spain. 20138@imas.imim.es
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riu
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muniesa
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cots
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cáceres
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Castells
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain