Analysis of Total Joint Arthroplasty Costs in Chinese Patients

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 27; no. 8; pp. 1423 - 1428.e1
• Main Authors: Zhang, YiChao, MD, Zhang, Hong, MD, Clarke, Henry D., MD, Hattrup, Steven J., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - economics; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - economics; China; cost analysis; Costs and Cost Analysis; Female; Humans; joint arthroplasty; Male; Middle Aged; Orthopedics; Young Adult; China; cost analysis; joint arthroplasty
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2012.01.014

Abstract All charges for patients undergoing unilateral and bilateral hip or knee arthroplasties at 1 hospital in Beijing, China, were identified and assigned to 1 of 11 charge categories: hospital room, nursing, radiology, laboratory, anesthesia, surgery, prosthesis, pharmacy, blood transfusion, materials, and miscellaneous. The prosthesis and pharmacy charges at this institution accounted for approximately 80% of the total charges; compared with published data from institutions in North America and Taiwan, these 2 charges accounted for a greater percentage of total charges. In distinction, labor costs in China accounted for a lower percentage of total charges. Importantly, because the percentage of costs covered by medical insurance was relatively low, a substantial financial burden was imposed on patients that may limit access to joint arthroplasty in China.