Do we know the cost of orthopaedic care?

The increasingly complex care needs of an expanding and ageing population leave a growing dichotomy between demand and supply. With sustainable cost-efficiency gains paramount, this study explored awareness of trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) care costs among patients and health care providers, alongside the impact of greater cost awareness on care quality, experience, and equality.

Surveys were distributed over a 2-week period, at a single site, to in/outpatients and health care professionals allied to T&O. They evaluated (1) awareness of the costs of several common aspects of T&O care and (2) opinions on improved cost education.

Most professionals and patients had limited and markedly variable awareness of costs. Expensive items (>£200) were commonly underestimated, and cheap items (≤£200) were overestimated. The majority reported greater cost awareness might influence their approach to care decisions.

Cost ignorance restricts cost-efficiency and provision of equitable care. Given the widespread lack of cost education, there is unsurprisingly a lack of cost awareness among patients and professionals alike. Cost savings through "reduced waste" were a commonly highlighted potential benefit of greater cost awareness. Patients and professionals alike must become increasingly accountable for ensuring effective and efficient use of resources.