Analyzing the Impact of Applying Clinical Pathway on the Hospitalization Costs of Total Knee Replacement / 中国卫生经济

ABSTRACT

Objective: Through comparing the hospitalization costs of total knee replacement (TKR) in People’s Hospital of Peking University in 2005 and 2010, to investigate the changing status of hospitalization costs on this operation and the impact of clinical pathway ( CP ) on controlling the hospitalization costs during 5 years , and provide references for controlling medical treatment cost reasonably. Methods: The patients are grouped into undergoing unilateral and bilateral TKR. The total hospitalization cost and cost of each category during 5 years are compared, and SAS 9.2 statistic software is applied to deal the data. Results: Compared with 2005, the total cost for TKR in 2010 decreased. All the charging items decreased, except implant material increased, especially the cost of surgery, hospital room, nursing and pharmacy. Specific to one knee replacement group and both knees replacement, the changing trend of cost is coincident with the total cost. Conclusion: The total cost for TKR in 2010 was lower than that of 2005, which might be the result of adopting CP since 2010. Nevertheless, the implant material cost accounted large proportion of hospitalization cost in 2010, and it has obvious increasing trend compared to 2005. This result is related the increasing application of the new edition of Artificial knee joint prosthesis. Controlling implant material cost is the effective method of decreasing medical costs for TKR.