The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics is redefining the way musculoskeletal care is delivered across the region with locations throughout Maryland, DC, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Originally published in Becker's Hospital Review. Written by Laura Dyrda
Outpatient total joint replacements are gaining steam; physicians across the country are preforming outpatient total joints in hospitals as well as ASCs. Medicare is also considering removing total joint replacements from the inpatient only list.
Barry Waldman, MD, director of the Center for Joint Preservation and Replacement at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics in Baltimore and Derek Johnson, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and secretary at Denver-Vail Orthopedics discuss outpatient total joint replacements in their practices and where the procedure is headed in the future.
Q: Why do you feel Medicare should or shouldn't allow total knee replacements in the outpatient ASC setting?
Dr. Derek Johnson: I feel it is in the best interest for Medicare to allow joint replacement to occur in the outpatient setting due to the substantial cost savings for the system. An ambulatory surgery center can likely provide joint replacement in the healthy Medicare population at a cost 25 percent to 40 percent lower than traditional hospital costs. Ambulatory surgery centers are often found to have lower infection rates and complication rates compared to inpatient hospitals as they are not commonly caring for patients with infections and complex medical problems.
Dr. Barry Waldman: Outpatient knee replacement is an exciting development as it is more pleasant and convenient for a select group of patients. It also can be dramatically less expensive, as much as 40 percent cheaper, with no decrease in safety. I think that Medicare…
Check out the rest of the interview here.