title: Variation in costs among surgeons and hospitals in Pediatric tympanostomy tube placement.
abstract: 1) Identify the major expenses for outpatient pediatric tympanostomy tube placement in a multihospital network. 2) Compare differences for variations in costs among hospitals and surgeons.
  
  
  
  An observational cohort study in a multihospital network using a standardized activity-based accounting system to determine hospital costs for tympanostomy tube placement from February 2011 to January 2015. Children aged 6 months to less than 3 years old who underwent same-day surgery (SDS) for tympanostomy tubes at 15 hospital facilities were included. Subjects with additional procedures were excluded. Hospital costs were subdivided into categories including operating room (OR), SDS preoperative, SDS postoperative, postanesthesia care unit, anesthesia, pharmacy, and OR supplies.
  
  
  
  The study cohort included 5,623 patients undergoing tympanostomy tube placement by 67 surgeons. Mean cost per surgery was $769 ± $3. Significant variations (P < 0.001) in mean cost per procedure were identified by hospital (range $1212 ± $38 to $509 ± $11) and by surgeon (range $1330 ± $75 to $660 ± $11). Operating room and SDS preoperative were the greatest expenditures; each category accounted for over 30% of overall costs. Pharmacy costs and OR costs were some of the major drivers of cost variation among surgeons.
  
  
  
  This study demonstrates that OR and SDS preoperative costs accounted for the greatest expenditure in tympanostomy tube placement, and significant variation exists among surgeons and hospitals within a multihospital network. Further research is needed to elucidate factors accounting for such variation in cost and the overall impact on patient outcomes.
  
  
  
  4. Laryngoscope, 126:1935-1939, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Intermountain Healthcare Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Phayvanh P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sjogren
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Healthcare, Surgical Services Clinical Program, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Healthcare, Surgical Services Clinical Program, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henrichsen
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Healthcare, Surgical Services Clinical Program, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Griffin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Healthcare, Surgical Services Clinical Program, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Healthcare, Surgical Services Clinical Program, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Inpatient Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Intermountain Healthcare Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.|Primary Children's Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.|Institute for Health Care Delivery Research, Intermountain Healthcare Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Rajendu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Intermountain Healthcare Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Meier
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D066231:Surgeons / Q000191:economics*
keywords: Pediatric; costs; ototopical treatment; tube; tympanostomy; variation