Wl. Healy et al., OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTROL OF HOSPITAL COSTS FOR TOTAL JOINT ARTHROPLASTY AFTER INITIAL COST-CONTAINMENT, The Journal of arthroplasty, 13(5), 1998, pp. 504-507
Financial analysis of 391 joint replacement operations performed durin
g 1996 determined that almost 80% of the hospital cost for joint repla
cement procedures was generated in the operating room, nursing units,
recovery room, and pharmacy during the first 48 hours of hospitalizati
on. Attempts to control or reduce hospital cost of joint replacement o
perations should locus on these specific areas of opportunity.