Perception Versus Reality in the Cost of Orthopedic Trauma Implants

Health care costs are increasing in medicine and in orthopedics. Device choice in orthopedic cases can impact the cost of the procedure and thus result in cost savings. This study aims to determine whether orthopedic attendings and residents accurately estimate device costs they are implanting in trauma cases and whether costs would influence their surgical device selection.

Using nationally published average cost data for 13 implants, a survey was distributed at 6 US academic centers. Respondents were asked to select the correct cost from cost ranges. They also answered yes/no questions about their choices regarding published research outcomes for specific fractures. Residents' answers were compared with faculty answers using t tests for each cost estimate question, and chi-square tests for yes/no questions and frequencies.

A total of 51 faculty members and 76 residents responded. Attending estimates were closer to the actual cost for most devices. The average total error in cost estimate for all 13 implants was $11,288.36 for residents (35.6% difference) and $10,208.33 for faculty members (32.2% difference). Significantly more faculty members estimated costs within 10% versus residents. When asked if the literature showed differences in outcome when using different implants to treat 4 common fractures, most answered these questions correctly. Further, 71.1% of residents said their choice of implant would change if costs affected physician reimbursements versus 58% for faculty members.

Our data indicate orthopedic physicians are not aware of true implant costs and nearly half of attendings would not consider cost as a factor in deciding between equivalent implants, even if this affected their reimbursement. Most notably, participants showed a poor ability to closely estimate the cost of more expensive implants (actual device cost greater than $2000). Our results suggest that medical cost containment should be stressed to the next generation of surgeons.