Lean and Green Hand Office-Based Hand Surgery: Does it Work?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Hand Surgery
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• US healthcare spending is projected to reach $5.3 trillion by 2025, representing 19.6% of GDP.
• The US healthcare industry is a major national waste producer.
• Lean and Green strategies can reduce operating room costs and waste without compromising patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, cost-effectiveness, and patient satisfaction of Wide-Awake local anesthesia office-based hand surgery.
• To assess the impact of Lean and Green surgical packs on cost and waste reduction.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 437 office-based hand surgery cases over 12 months.
• Analysis of infection rates, secondary procedures, patient satisfaction, and cost/waste savings.
• Patient surveys on procedure comparison, recommendation likelihood, and willingness to repeat.

Main Results:

• Superficial infection rate was 3.9%; no deep infections occurred.
• Secondary procedure rate was 0.2%.
• Lean and Green packs resulted in $4,650 cost savings and 2,211 lbs waste reduction.
• Patient satisfaction was high: 99% rated the experience favorably and would recommend/repeat.

Conclusions:

• Wide-Awake local anesthesia office-based hand surgery is safe, cost-effective, and highly satisfactory.
• Lean and Green surgical packs enhance cost savings and reduce waste.
• Combining these approaches is an effective strategy for future healthcare delivery.