Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are increasingly used in the management of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) as a minimally invasive and effective treatment modality. Traditionally performed in operating theatres, transitioning PRP delivery to outpatient clinic settings may yield substantial cost savings for the National Health Service (NHS) while maintaining patient satisfaction. This retrospective study analysed 30 patients with a clinical diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis who received PRP injections either in a clinic (n=18) or operating theatre (n=12). Patient satisfaction was assessed using a structured questionnaire evaluating scheduling, staff interaction, procedural experience, pain control, and overall satisfaction. Cost analysis encompassed both direct (staff, equipment) and indirect (facility, recovery time) expenditure. Statistical comparisons were made using paired t-tests and chi-square tests. Mean satisfaction scores were high in both groups (clinic: 8.7 ± 0.8; theatre: 8.3 ± 1.0, p=0.19). Notably, the average cost per clinic procedure (£250) was significantly lower than that of theatre-based injections (£750) (p<0.01). Additionally, 93% of clinic patients indicated a preference to repeat treatment in the same setting, compared to 80% of theatre patients (p=0.03). These findings suggest that clinic-based PRP injections provide equivalent patient satisfaction with significantly improved cost-efficiency. This supports a shift toward outpatient delivery for selected procedures as a means of improving resource utilisation without compromising care quality within the NHS.
Venkatesan et al. (2025) studied this question.