Editorial Commentary: Saving Cost in Orthopaedics While Preserving Patient Experience and Outcomes: We Can Have It All

Healthcare costs in the United States are the highest in the world and continue to increase unsustainably. As a result, cost-cutting measures are paramount. Bundled payments are a primary method to decrease healthcare use, and they are increasingly prominent in orthopaedic surgical care. Bundled payments require an accurate assessment of the cost of a procedure, which may be determined more reliably and feasibly than previously with time-driven activity-based costing. Time-driven activity-based costing identifies the cost of various stages of care, which allows cost-containment strategies to target the most expensive stages. Amidst the warranted focus on cost reduction, we must maintain a strong focus on the patient experience and patient outcomes. For example, reducing surgeon and staff time with the patient could negatively impact patient care, yet increasing efficiency in the operating room and perioperative setting could decrease the relative cost of staff without harming the patient experience. Other realms, such as implant and administrative costs, are important focuses that are less likely to directly hamper patient care. Controlling cost in the U.S. healthcare system will require a wide-reaching approach with contributions from all parties. As we work toward a more financially sustainable system, we must be sure to preserve excellent patient experience and outcomes.