Cost of sick leave for total hip replacement

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics and Traumatology
• Health Economics
• Public Health

Background:

• Preoperative sick leave is a significant concern for patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR) for primary arthrosis.
• Prolonged preoperative sick leave impacts both individual well-being and societal economic productivity.
• Understanding the economic implications of preoperative sick leave is crucial for healthcare policy and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the potential economic productivity gains for society by reducing preoperative sick leave duration in patients aged 50-59 undergoing THR.
• To estimate the financial impact of shortening sick leave periods to a maximum of six months prior to THR.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 92 nonretired patients aged 50-59 undergoing THR for primary arthrosis.
• Calculation of potential societal economic gains based on reductions in sick leave duration.
• Estimation of productivity gains using Swedish kronor (SEK) as the economic measure.

Main Results:

• 42 out of 92 (45.6%) patients were on sick leave for over six months before THR.
• Reducing preoperative sick leave to six months could yield productivity gains of 41,000-653,000 SEK per patient.
• The wide range in estimates reflects the varying degrees of causal links between preoperative and postoperative sick leave/early retirement.

Conclusions:

• Significant economic productivity can be regained by shortening preoperative sick leave for patients undergoing THR.
• Policy interventions aimed at reducing prolonged preoperative sick leave may offer substantial societal economic benefits.
• Further research is warranted to refine the causal relationship between sick leave and retirement in THR patients.