Robotic total hip and knee arthroplasty: economic impact and workflow efficiency

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Medical robotics
• Health economics

Background:

• Robotic-assisted total joint arthroplasty (RA-TJA) is rapidly expanding, with projections indicating significant market share by 2030.
• Early focus on technical precision is shifting towards economic value and operational efficiency due to evolving payment models and implementation costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize evidence on the economic value and operational efficiency of RA-TJA.
• To evaluate capital costs, perioperative expenses, learning curves, throughput, and long-term adoption trends.
• To consider market competition, global uptake, and the need for standardized outcomes reporting.

Main Methods:

• A narrative literature review of published cost analyses, real-world efficiency studies, and policy-relevant frameworks.
• Analysis of literature on per-case cost variability, bundled payments, and implementation strategies.
• Incorporation of emerging economic models and global diffusion patterns.

Main Results:

• Robotic platforms incur higher upfront and perioperative costs but may be offset by reduced complications and shorter hospital stays.
• Efficiency gains are enhanced with procedural clustering and experienced surgical teams.
• Global adoption is accelerating, influenced by leasing models and market competition, but value is context-dependent.

Conclusions:

• Robotic assistance can enhance arthroplasty efficiency and precision, offering potential cost-effectiveness when optimized.
• Institutions can improve outcomes by leveraging surgical volume and infrastructure with RA-TJA.
• Wider integration requires robust long-term data, standardized metrics, and alignment with value-based care models.