Study highlights variations in spinal component costs

More transparency and doctor-hospital cooperation in implant component purchases could reduce overall spinal implant costs

2013-03-22

(Press-News.org) CHICAGO – In a study, presented today at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), researchers obtained and compared the hospital purchasing records from 45 academic medical centers on the unit costs and volume of spinal products – pedicle screws (PS), anterior cervical plates (ACP) and posterior interbody cages – purchased from a total of seven vendors.

Among the results: PS had a mean cost of $878, with a range of $400 to $1,843 per patient; ACP had a mean cost of $1,068, with a range of $540 to $2,388; and, cages, $2,975, with a range of $938 to $7,200

For every additional implant component purchased, the unit price was reduced by $.29, $4.33 and $6.86 for PS, ACP and cages, respectively.

A significant relationship exists between a lower unit cost of implants and the purchase of a larger number of components. The authors suggest that greater transparency, as well as a more coordinated implant selection and purchase process, that includes the surgeon, hospital and manufacturer, could reduce the wide variation in component cost, and contribute to overall lower health care expenditures. ### Learn more: AAOS.org Follow us on Facebook.com/AAOS1 and Twitter.com/AAOS1. A Nation in Motion More than one in four Americans have bone or joint health problems, making them the greatest cause of lost work days in the U.S. When orthopaedic surgeons restore mobility and reduce pain, they help people get back to work and to independent, productive lives. Orthopaedic surgeons provide a great value, in both human and economic terms; and access to high-quality orthopaedic care keeps this "Nation in Motion." To learn more, to read hundreds of patient stories or to submit your own story, visit ANationinMotion.org.

For more information on bone and joint health, visit Orthoinfo.org. END

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Study highlights variations in spinal component costs

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