A cost analysis of ankle fractures treated by orthopedic surgeons with or without foot and ankle fellowship training at ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals

INTRODUCTION: Ankle fractures are commonly treated by orthopedic surgeons. Fellowship versus non-fellowship training often adds a different perspective, use of specialty-specific implants, comfort with outpatient procedures, and may contribute to cost differences between surgeons. To assess the impact of fellowship training on the value of care provided, the difference in cost of ankle fracture open reduction internal fixation procedures between foot and ankle trained orthopedic surgeons and non-foot and ankle trained orthopedic surgeons over the past 10 years was retrospectively evaluated. We additionally evaluated the cost differences of ankle fracture open reduction internal fixations between hospitals, hospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers, and physician-owned ambulatory surgery centers. The study also assessed the costs effects of inpatient versus outpatient procedures and ankle open reduction internal fixation procedure volume of the surgeon observed within the timeframe of the study. METHODS: Patient data was collected from electronic medical records and billing documents for patients who underwent an ankle open reduction internal fixation procedure performed by an orthopedic surgeon in our hospital system and local hospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers between the years 2010 and 2020. Data were also collected from a physician-owned ambulatory surgery center for patients who underwent an ankle open reduction internal fixation procedure performed by an orthopedic surgeon between the years 2015 and 2020. Statistical analyses were performed to observe potential cost differences among all variables. RESULTS: Procedures performed by fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons were significantly less costly than those performed by non-foot and ankle trained orthopedic surgeons when performed at ambulatory surgery centers but not at hospitals. Procedures performed at ambulatory surgery centers were found to be significantly less costly than those performed at hospitals. In addition, it was noted that procedures performed at hospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers were less costly than physician-owned ambulatory surgery centers. It was also found that procedure cost decreased with an increase in surgeon volume. CONCLUSION: An ankle fracture open reduction internal fixation performed by a foot and ankle trained orthopedic surgeon in a hospital-owned ambulatory surgery center is the lowest cost option available, and an increase in volume of open reduction internal fixations is associated with a further decrease in cost when within our hospital system between the years 2010 and 2020.