The Incremental Hospital Cost and Length-of-Stay Associated With Treating Adverse Events Among Medicare Beneficiaries Undergoing THA During Fiscal Year 2013

This paper estimates the incremental hospital resource consumption associated with treating selected adverse events experienced by Medicare beneficiaries (MBs) undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). This retrospective study, using the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review file, identified 174,167 MBs who underwent THA in 2013. Overall, 20.16% of MB undergoing THA experienced at least one adverse event. MB experiencing any adverse event consumed significantly higher hospital cost ($3429) and had longer length of stays (1.0 day). The risk-adjusted incremental cost of treating adverse events ranged from a high of $27,116 (pneumonia) to a low of $2626 (hemorrhage or post-operative shock requiring transfusion). Most major adverse events occurred infrequently, however when adverse events occurred, they add substantially to the hospital resource costs of treating MB.