Key result
The transition to ambulatory total knee arthroplasty has the potential to improve efficiency and minimize costs, but practical, legal, and financial implications remain to be addressed.
Discusses the practical, legal, and financial implications of transitioning total knee arthroplasty to ambulatory surgery centers following CMS regulatory changes.
By streamlining surgical care and eliminating postoperative hospitalization, the transition to ambulatory total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has the potential to improve efficiency and minimize the costs of care. However, practical, legal, and financial implications remain to be addressed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has also yet to address concerns generated by the removal of TKA from the Inpatient-Only List and provide guidance on patient selection. Rolling out regulatory changes that impact high-volume procedures, such as TKA, in a short period of time and without appropriate feedback can only lead to further confusion. As surgeons, we are in a unique business model that requires us to constantly innovate to deliver high quality care, while also taking financial cuts as a result of our innovations.
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Chambers et al. (2020) conducted an editorial in Total knee arthroplasty. Ambulatory total knee arthroplasty was evaluated. The transition to ambulatory total knee arthroplasty has the potential to improve efficiency and minimize costs, but practical, legal, and financial implications remain to be addressed.
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