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Cost-effective carotid endarterectomy in community practice
B F Gibbs1, V J Guzzetta, D Furmanski
1Sharp Hospital System, San Diego, Calif., USA.
Annals of Vascular Surgery
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Hospital charges for carotid endarterectomy vary widely among surgeons. Cost-effective approaches can achieve similar or better patient outcomes, highlighting the need for developing efficient clinical pathways.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Health Economics
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Carotid endarterectomy is a common surgical procedure.
- Hospital charges for this procedure can be influenced by multiple factors.
- Variability in cost necessitates an examination of surgeon-specific practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hospital charges for carotid endarterectomy on a surgeon-specific basis.
- To identify factors contributing to cost variations.
- To correlate cost-effectiveness with surgical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of length of stay and average hospital charges for 18 surgeons.
- Review of 344 carotid endarterectomies performed across three hospitals.
- Evaluation of outcome data alongside financial metrics.
Main Results:
- Significant variation in hospital charges was observed among different surgeons.
- Surgeons employing cost-effective strategies achieved comparable or superior patient outcomes.
- Cost-effectiveness did not compromise the quality of surgical results.
Conclusions:
- Surgeon practices significantly impact the cost of carotid endarterectomy.
- Development of cost-effective clinical pathways is crucial in managed care.
- Carotid endarterectomy can be performed at a lower cost without sacrificing quality through guideline adherence.