Susan Comp, RN, BSN, MHA
BUSINESS ADVISOR
Your Crash Course in Case Costing
Replace expensive surgical supplies with less costly alternatives.
You can literally save your facility tens of thousands of dollars by switching out expensive surgical supplies for more economic options that will achieve the same clinical results. To do so, however, you must calculate your case costs for your highest-volume and highest-cost procedures, and then find affordable alternatives for high-priced items.
Case costing is hard work, but the results can be dramatic. We've lowered our case costs on laparoscopic appendectomies between last year and this year from $791 to $731. For laparoscopic cholecystectomies, we've dropped our case costs from $523 to $444. Here's how we saved:
• $296 per case. Only using the harmonic scalpel for complex cases.
• $165 per case. Substituting a reusable clip applier for disposable clips.
• $136 per case. Switching stapling devices.
• $121 per case. Reducing the use of closure kits.
Case costing requires dedication, hard work and constant communication with surgeons. Here's practical advice for getting there.
**********
DO THE MATH
Surgeons need to know how much their top-volume procedures cost your facility.
************