The economic implications of a multimodal analgesic regimen for patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery: a comparative study of direct costs.
OBJECTIVE
Total knee and total hip arthoplasty (THA) are 2 of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States and represent the greatest single Medicare procedural expenditure. This study was designed to evaluate the economic impact of implementing a multimodal analgesic regimen (Total Joint Regional Anesthesia [TJRA] Clinical Pathway) on the estimated direct medical costs of patients undergoing lower extremity joint replacement surgery.


METHODS
An economic cost comparison was performed on Mayo Clinic patients (n = 100) undergoing traditional total knee or total hip arthroplasty using the TJRA Clinical Pathway. Study patients were matched 1:1 with historical controls undergoing similar procedures using traditional anesthetic (non-TJRA) techniques. Matching criteria included age, sex, surgeon, type of procedure, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status (PS) classification. Hospital-based direct costs were collected for each patient and analyzed in standardized inflation-adjusted constant dollars using cost-to-charge ratios, wage indexes, and physician services valued using Medicare reimbursement rates. The estimated mean direct hospital costs were compared between groups, and a subgroup analysis was performed based on ASA PS classification.


RESULTS
The estimated mean direct hospital costs were significantly reduced among TJRA patients when compared with controls (cost difference, 1999 dollars; 95% confidence interval, 584-3231 dollars; P = 0.0004). A significant reduction in hospital-based (Medicare Part A) costs accounted for the majority of the total cost savings.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of a comprehensive, multimodal analgesic regimen (TJRA Clinical Pathway) in patients undergoing lower extremity joint replacement surgery provides a significant reduction in the estimated total direct medical costs. The reduction in mean cost is primarily associated with lower hospital-based (Medicare Part A) costs, with the greatest overall cost difference appearing among patients with significant comorbidities (ASA PS III-IV patients).
Duncan
Christopher M
CM
Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
Hall Long
Kirsten
K
Warner
David O
DO
Hebl
James R
JR
D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000191:economics*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000191:economics*; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D016344:Medicare Part A / Q000191:economics; D016345:Medicare Part B / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States