Cost savings in outpatient versus inpatient reduction mammaplasty

SummaryBackground and aimsReduction mammaplasties are increasingly performed as outpatient procedures. Cost savings are assumed, but published data on the subject are scarce. The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine the possible cost savings achieved by performing reduction mammaplasties as outpatient procedures.Material and methodsReduction mammaplasty was performed for 90 outpatients and 44 inpatients, with comparable health status. Demographic, surgical, and complication data were collected retrospectively. Data on the costs of the entire treatment process were acquired and statistical analyses performed.ResultsThe average total cost of the process was 5039 € for inpatients and 4114 € for outpatients. Thus, the total costs were 925 € (18%) lower for the outpatient procedures. On average, cost saving per patient was 294 € (43%) on ward expenditures. Higher ward expenditure was a statistically significant cause of the increased cost of the inpatient group on uni- and multivariable analyses; however, for total costs, the effects of complications and reoperations were significant.ConclusionsReduction mammaplasty performed as an outpatient procedure results in up to 18% cost savings compared with inpatient treatment.