This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Preferred single-vendor program may yield cost savings on TJA implants
Published results showed significant cost savings and decreased cost variability within the first year of implementing a preferred single-vendor program for hip and knee arthroplasty implants.
Joseph A. Bosco III, MD, and colleagues evaluated the use of implants for primary hip and knee arthroplasty from a preferred single-vendor program in the first 12 months of the contract vs. the year prior. Researchers compared per-case implant costs, as well as performance on quality metrics, including 30-day readmission, 30-day surgical site infection and length of stay.
Results showed an increase in use of implants from the preferred vendor from 50% to 69%. Although researchers found significant growth for both knee and hip implants, there was greater use of knee implants from the preferred vendor compared with use of the hip implants. Low-volume surgeons had the greatest adoption of the preferred-vendor initiative, according to results, and high-volume surgeons had the lowest adoption. In the first year of the program, results showed a 23% decrease in the mean cost per case for cases in which implants from the preferred vendor were used. Researchers noted no significant changes in 30-day readmission or surgical site infection. However, mean length of stay decreased in the first year of the program, according to results.
“Adopting a single-vendor implant strategy adds value to total joint arthroplasty by reducing implant costs without effecting outcomes and should be considered the next step in implant cost reduction once reference pricing is adopted,” Bosco told Healio.com/Orthopedics. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: Bosco reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.