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Does the cost of robotic cholecystectomy translate to a financial burden?

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Abstract

Introduction

Robotic application to cholecystectomy has dramatically increased, though its impact on cost of care and reimbursement has not been elucidated. We undertook this study to evaluate and compare cost of care and reimbursement with robotic versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods and procedures

The charges and reimbursement of all robotic and laparoscopic cholecystectomies at one hospital undertaken from June 2012 to June 2013 were determined. Operative duration is defined as time into and time out of the operating room. Data are presented as median data. Comparisons were undertaken using the Mann–Whitney U-test with significance accepted at p ≤ 0.05.

Results

Robotic cholecystectomy took longer (47 min longer) and had greater charges ($8,182.57 greater) than laparoscopic cholecystectomy (p < 0.05 for each). However, revenue, earnings before depreciation, interest, and taxes (EBDIT), and Net Income were not impacted by approach.

Conclusions

Relative to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, robotic cholecystectomy takes longer and has greater charges. Revenue, EBDIT, and Net Income are similar after either approach; this indicates that costs with either approach are similar. Notably, this is possible because much of hospital-based costs are determined by cost allocation and not cost accounting. Thus, the cost of longer operations and costs inherent to the robotic approach for cholecystectomy do not translate to a perceived financial burden.

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Disclosures

Drs. Alexander Rosemurgy and Sharona Ross are on the speakers’ bureau for Olympus Corporation and Covidien Ltd. Drs. Prashant Sukharamwala, Thomas Wood, Carrie Ryan, and Richard Klein have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Hospital Tampa, 3000 Medical Park Dr. Suite 310, Tampa, FL, 33613, USA

    Alexander Rosemurgy, Carrie Ryan, Richard Klein, Prashant Sukharamwala, Thomas Wood & Sharona Ross

Authors
  1. Alexander Rosemurgy
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  2. Carrie Ryan
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  3. Richard Klein
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  4. Prashant Sukharamwala
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  5. Thomas Wood
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  6. Sharona Ross
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharona Ross.

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Rosemurgy, A., Ryan, C., Klein, R. et al. Does the cost of robotic cholecystectomy translate to a financial burden?. Surg Endosc 29, 2115–2120 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-014-3933-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-014-3933-8

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