Educating surgeons may allow for reduced intraoperative costs for inguinal herniorrhaphy

Area of Science:

• Surgical cost analysis
• Healthcare economics
• General surgery outcomes

Background:

• Intraoperative costs represent a significant portion of surgical expenses.
• Reducing disposable supply costs is crucial for financial sustainability in healthcare.
• Inguinal hernia repair is a common procedure with potential for cost savings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of surgeon education on disposable supply costs.
• To determine if surgeon awareness can reduce intraoperative expenses for inguinal hernia repair.
• To evaluate cost reduction strategies in general surgery.

Main Methods:

• Surgeons received education on disposable equipment and implant costs.
• Cost data for laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair in FY13 and FY14 were compared.
• Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze cost differences.
• Surgeons shared cost-saving techniques without financial incentives.

Main Results:

• Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair costs decreased by 21.0% (p<0.001) from FY13 to FY14.
• Open inguinal hernia repair costs decreased by 8.6% (p<0.01) during the same period.
• Key cost reductions included selective use of mesh fixation and balloon trocars, and reduced use of disposable instruments.

Conclusions:

• Surgeon education effectively reduces disposable equipment costs in inguinal hernia repair.
• Empowering surgeons with cost information can lead to significant financial savings.
• This educational model is applicable to various surgical procedures and disciplines.