Editor's Note Enhanced recovery pathways are cost-effective compared with conventional perioperative management of colorectal patients, this study finds. Of 180 patients analyzed, mean length of stay was shorter (6.5 vs 9.8 days), return to work was quicker, and there was less care giver burden in the enhanced recovery group. The…

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Editor's Note Obese patients who had gastric bypass surgery cut their healthcare costs nearly 40% after 4 years and 80% if they had type 2 diabetes preoperatively, finds this study presented at Obesity Week 2015, which is hosted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The main reduction…

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Editor's Note An electronic blood tracking system that monitors how physicians prescribe postoperative blood transfusions significantly reduced the amount of blood patients receive and cut infection rates in half, according to a study presented October 7 at the 2015 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in Chicago. The…

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The key to sustaining quality outcomes is promoting confidence and engagement of surgical teams, says Clifford Ko, MD, MS, MSHS, FACS, director of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, at the American College of Surgeons in Chicago. Dr Ko gave the keynote…

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Editor's Note A study presented at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting found that performing spine procedures in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can reduce costs while sustaining patient satisfaction scores, Spine Surgery Today reports. Of 1,000 spine procedures performed in an ASC, eight patients had to be transferred to…

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Editor's Note A new Government Accountability Office report shows that hospital performance on most quality measures was improving before the Affordable Care Act’s Hospital Value-based Purchasing (VBP) program began in 2012 and has not noticeably changed since then, according to the AHA News. Most inpatient prospective payment system hospitals eligible…

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Editor's Note A bundled payment program for total hip replacement was associated with similar total costs, lower posthospital costs, shorter length of stay, and similar or higher quality hospital care, in this study. Compared to controls, bundled payment patients had similar length of stay (3.0 vs 3.4 days), higher rates…

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Editor's Note Incentivizing surgeons to standardize surgical supplies led to dramatic cost savings in this study. A shared-savings program that returned 50% of money saved on surgical supplies to the surgery division realized a total cost-savings of $893,865. A total of $446,932 was shared with 15 surgery divisions. Quality of…

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Editor's Note As the Affordable Care Act continues to pass more costs to patients through higher deductibles and premiums, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are positioning themselves as cost-effective and convenient alternatives to traditional hospitals, the September 17 Central Valley Business Journal reports. ASCs provide efficient, high-quality procedures, and discharge home…

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Editor's Note In this analysis of nearly 25,000 Medicare patients, mean total payments for bariatric surgical procedures varied from $11,000 to $13,000 per episode of care. The index hospitalization was responsible for 75% of total payments, followed by physician services (21%), and postacute care services (2.8%). As hospitals enter Medicare…

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