Examining the Relationship Between Value and Patient Satisfaction With Treatment in Total Joint Arthroplasty

A shift toward performance, cost, outcomes, and patient satisfaction has occurred with healthcare reform promoting value-based programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between patient satisfaction and value with treatment in a cohort of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Value was determined by the relationship of treatment outcome with episodic cost. Measurements included both clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes. Participating surgeons took part in the modified Delphi method resulting in an algorithm measuring patient value. Treatment outcome, cost, and resultant value (outcome/cost) of both TKA and THA were evaluated using binomial logistic regression by adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index, tobacco, education, and income with patient-reported satisfaction as the outcome.

This study had a total of 909 patients (TKA n = 438; THA n = 471), with an average age of 67 (TKA) and 65 (THA) years. Patient satisfaction shared a significant positive relationship with treatment outcome for TKA (odds ratio [OR] = 1.53, confidence interval [CI] = 1.35-1.73, P < .001) and THA (OR = 1.93, CI = 1.62-2.29, P < .001). Higher value was associated with a significantly higher odds of patient satisfaction for both TKA (OR = 1.39, CI = 1.25-1.54, P < .001) and THA (OR = 1.70, CI = 1.47-1.97, P < .001).

This study showed a positive relationship between treatment outcome but not cost with subsequent value and patient satisfaction. This method provides a promising approach to comprehensively evaluate outcomes, cost, and value of total joint arthroplasty procedures. This approach can help predict the probability of value-driven patient satisfaction.