The use of economic evaluation in hand surgery.

This article explains the concepts of an economic evaluation relevant to evidence-based hand surgery. Cost-effectiveness analysis in hand surgery is increasingly important as health care resources become scarce in most jurisdictions. Hand surgeons need to incorporate the "manager of health care system" competency in their daily practice. Hand surgery literature may claim that "a novel hand technique" is more cost-effective than a prevailing one; it is important that hand surgeons and other users of clinical research appraise such innovation claims before adopting them in their practices. Clinical researchers can use the methodological principles described here for their cost-effectiveness analysis.