Economic considerations of a connected tracking device after colorectal surgery

Day Admission Surgery Program in a Prospective Payment System: What Are the Financial Incentives?

Background

Day admission surgery (DAS) is meant to provide a better in-hospital experience for patients and to save costs by reducing the length of stay. However, in a prospective payment system, it may also reduce the reimbursement amount, leading to unintended incentives for hospitals.

Methods

Over a 4-month period in 2021 and based on predefined clinical and logistic criteria, patients from different surgical sub-specialties were identified to follow the institutional DAS program. Revenue-analysis was performed, considering the Swiss diagnosis-related group (SwissDRG) prospective payment policy. Revenue with DAS program was compared to revenue if patients were admitted the day prior surgery (No DAS) using nonparametric pooled bootstrap t-test. All other costs considered identical, an estimation of the average cost spared due to the avoidance of pre-operative hospitalization in the DAS setting was carried out using a micro-costing approach.

Results

Overall, 105 inpatients underwent DAS over the study period, totaling a revenue of CHF 1 209 840. Among them, 25 patients (24%) were low outliers due to the day spared from the DAS program and triggering a mean (SD) financial discount of Swiss Francs (CHF) 4192 (2835), yielding a total amount of CHF 105 435. DAS revealed a mean revenue of CHF 7320 (656), compared to CHF 11 510 (1108) if patients were admitted the day before surgery (No DAS, P = .007).

Conclusion

In a PPS, anticipation of financial penalties when implementing a DAS for all-comers is key to prevent an imbalance of the hospital equation if no financial criteria are used to select eligible patients. Promptly revising workflow to maintain constant fixed costs for a greater number of patients may be a valuable hedging strategy.

Principles of enhanced recovery in gastrointestinal surgery

BACKGROUND

To reduce the impact of surgery-related stress, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways have been developed since over 15 years with subsequent improved postoperative outcome. This multimodal and evidence-based perioperative approach has spread to all fields of gastrointestinal surgery, from esophagus, stomach, duodenum and pancreas, liver, small intestine and colon, and rectum, as well as for other specialties like vascular and cardia surgeries or neurosurgery, among others.

PURPOSE

The aim of this state-of-the-art article is to assess current state of evidence on perioperative management specifically in gastrointestinal surgery, with a focus on surgery-related aspects, outcome benefit, and future directions.

CONCLUSION

The surgical team must promote continuous improvement of the patient's ERAS compliance to ensure optimal perioperative care. Everyday clinical practice should be performed according to latest evidence-based medicine and challenging surgical dogma. Moreover, the surgeon must lead and support a multidisciplinary and collaborative teamwork tailored to patient's need especially with anesthetists and nursing staff.