At the 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting, researchers presented the results of a study of 45 academic medical centers' spinal implant purchasing records, according to a News Medical report.
The study focuses on anterior cervical plates, pedicle screws, and posterior interbody cages sold from seven different vendors.
"Everyone is looking at implants because everyone is feeling the costs," says Samuel Bederman, MD, an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California Irvine Health and co-author of the study. "Providers try to align themselves with surgeons to reduce costs, but oftentimes as surgeons we decide what works best and the cost information isn't provided to us."
He says if surgeons are more aware of implant costs, they may work with hospitals to negotiate lower implant prices or use less costly materials that provide the same good quality outcomes.
"When it comes to implant cost, which is a large burden to the cost of healthcare, everyone needs to be on the same page," says Dr. Bederman. "Right now the surgeons select implants without knowledge of the price. We need to get the surgeons, hospitals and manufacturers aligned."
The study found a noteworthy correlation between lower implant costs and higher volume purchases. However, insurance companies scrutinize spine surgical authorizations more today than in the past, and this could lead to lower volumes of surgical procedures. Dr. Bederman advocates for more transparency from insurance companies about implant prices across different providers to sustain surgical services.
"Overall prices have remained high and the hospital and physicians are being squeezed," says Dr. Bederman. "The sustainability of current costs are challenging. I think we all need to understand that prices are very high and unsustainable, and transparency would be one way we can factor costs somewhere into the equation of what gets selected and paid for by hospitals."
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"Everyone is looking at implants because everyone is feeling the costs," says Samuel Bederman, MD, an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California Irvine Health and co-author of the study. "Providers try to align themselves with surgeons to reduce costs, but oftentimes as surgeons we decide what works best and the cost information isn't provided to us."
He says if surgeons are more aware of implant costs, they may work with hospitals to negotiate lower implant prices or use less costly materials that provide the same good quality outcomes.
"When it comes to implant cost, which is a large burden to the cost of healthcare, everyone needs to be on the same page," says Dr. Bederman. "Right now the surgeons select implants without knowledge of the price. We need to get the surgeons, hospitals and manufacturers aligned."
The study found a noteworthy correlation between lower implant costs and higher volume purchases. However, insurance companies scrutinize spine surgical authorizations more today than in the past, and this could lead to lower volumes of surgical procedures. Dr. Bederman advocates for more transparency from insurance companies about implant prices across different providers to sustain surgical services.
"Overall prices have remained high and the hospital and physicians are being squeezed," says Dr. Bederman. "The sustainability of current costs are challenging. I think we all need to understand that prices are very high and unsustainable, and transparency would be one way we can factor costs somewhere into the equation of what gets selected and paid for by hospitals."
More Articles on Spine:
8 Tips to Develop Spine Surgeon Marketing Strategies With High ROI
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