Improving patient outcomes following joint replacement surgery at Methodist Evangelical Hospital

Project Overview: In 1989, orthopedic surgeons at Methodist Evangelical Hospital began looking at the various components of arthroplasty, a surgical procedure in which an entire joint or part of a joint is replaced with metal or plastic components, in an effort to maximize the value of such procedures in terms of clinical outcome, quality of patient care, and cost.

The average length of stay has dropped from 11 days to 8.1 days, resulting in a savings of approximately $2,100 per patient. Preadmission autologous blood donations for total knee arthroplasty have been discontinued. By standardizing certain orthopedic implants, the hospital has been able to reduce its inventory and eliminate instrumentation and loaner fees--a savings of approximately $445,000 annually.