Journal article
Epidemiology and cost of ventral hernia repair: making the case for hernia research
Hernia, Vol.16(2), pp.179-183
04/2012
DOI: 10.1007/s10029-011-0879-9
PMID: 21904861
Abstract
Ventral hernia repair (VHR) lacks standardization of care and exhibits variation in delivery. Complications of VHR, notably recurrence and infection, increase costs. Efforts at obtaining federal funding for VHR research are frequently unsuccessful, in part due to misperceptions that VHR is not a clinical challenge and has minimal impact on healthcare resources. We analyzed national trends for VHR performance and associated costs to demonstrate potential savings resulting from an improvement in outcomes.Inpatient non-federal discharges for VHR were identified from the 2001–2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, supplemented by the Center for Disease Control 2006 National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery for outpatient estimates. The total number of VHRs performed in the US was estimated along with associated costs. Costs were standardized to 2010 US dollars using the Consumer Price Index and reported as mean with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).The number of inpatient VHRs increased from 126,548 in 2001 to 154,278 in 2006. Including 193,543 outpatient operations, an estimated 348,000 VHRs were performed for 2006. Inpatient costs consistently rose with 2006 costs estimated at US $15,899 (95% CI $15,394–$16,404) per operation. Estimated cost for outpatient VHR was US $3,873 (95% CI $2,788–$4,958). The total cost of VHR for 2006 was US $3.2 billion.VHRs continue to rise in incidence and cost. By reducing recurrence rate alone, a cost saving of US $32 million dollars for each 1% reduction in operations would result. Further research is necessary for improved understanding of ventral hernia etiology and treatment and is critical to cost effective healthcare.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Epidemiology and cost of ventral hernia repair: making the case for hernia research
- Creators
- B Poulose - Department of Surgery VUMC D-5203 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USAJ Shelton - Department of Surgery VUMC D-5203 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USAS Phillips - Department of Biostatistics VUMC D-2217A Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USAD Moore - Department of Surgery VUMC D-5203 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USAW Nealon - Department of Surgery VUMC D-5203 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USAD Penson - Department of Urologic Surgery VUMC 2525 West End Avenue, Suite 600 Nashville TN 37203 USAW Beck - Department of Surgery VUMC D-5203 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USAM Holzman - Department of Surgery VUMC D-5203 Medical Center North, 1161 21st Avenue South Nashville TN 37232 USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Hernia, Vol.16(2), pp.179-183
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag; Paris
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10029-011-0879-9
- PMID
- 21904861
- ISSN
- 1265-4906
- eISSN
- 1248-9204
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/2012
- Academic Unit
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Surgery; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984051566502771
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