Cost Analysis of an Office-based Surgical Suite.

INTRODUCTION: Operating costs are a significant part of delivering surgical care. Having a system to analyze these costs is imperative for decision making and efficiency. We present an analysis of surgical supply, labor and administrative costs, and remuneration of procedures as a means for a practice to analyze their cost effectiveness; this affects the quality of care based on the ability to provide services. The costs of surgical care cannot be estimated blindly as reconstructive and cosmetic procedures have different percentages of overhead.

METHODS: A detailed financial analysis of office-based surgical suite costs for surgical procedures was determined based on company contract prices and average use of supplies. The average time spent on scheduling, prepping, and doing the surgery was factored using employee rates.

RESULTS: The most expensive, minor procedure supplies are suture needles. The 4 most common procedures from the most expensive to the least are abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, facelift, and lipectomy.

CONCLUSIONS: Reconstructive procedures require a greater portion of collection to cover costs. Without the adjustment of both patient and insurance remuneration in the practice, the ability to provide quality care will be increasingly difficult.