BACKGROUND: Although centralization of complex surgical procedures such as pancreaticoduodenectomies is associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality rates, it is unclear whether such surgeries are adequately represented in the German disease-related group (DRG) system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Out of all patients who underwent pancreatic resections (n = 450) at our institution between January 2008 and November 2011, 76 patients who underwent a pylorus-preserving pancreatic head resection due to pancreatic head adenocarcinoma were selected for analysis. The revenues generated by these surgical procedures were compared with those of 144 patients who had undergone elective laparoscopic cholecystectomies for symptomatic gallstone disease between January 2009 and September 2010 in our hospital. RESULTS: In patients undergoing pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy, revenues per case were 1,585.55 Euros, with an average length of hospital stay (ALOS) of 19.9 days (range 7-55 days) and an average postoperative hospital stay of 16 days; however, if the ALOS was exceeded, expenditures increasingly exceeded returns. Analysis of the cohort of patients with pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomies demonstrated average revenues per day of 79.27 Euros. In contrast, for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which was treated with high surgical standardization and stringent case management, the ALOS was only 2.8 days, producing average revenues of 288.80 Euros per day and total revenues of 817.53 Euros per case. CONCLUSION: At university hospitals, cost-effective realization of major pancreatic surgery is difficult, while highly standardized surgeries such as laparoscopic cholecystectomies can be performed at a favorable balance. This may be due to, firstly, an underrepresentation of university hospitals in the German DRG calculation basis and, secondly, to a relatively long preoperative hospital stay as a result of extensive diagnostic measures. We consider this kind of preoperative assessment paramount for an academic pancreatic center and thus argue for an increased reimbursement for these procedures.
BACKGROUND: Although centralization of complex surgical procedures such as pancreaticoduodenectomies is associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality rates, it is unclear whether such surgeries are adequately represented in the German disease-related group (DRG) system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Out of all patients who underwent pancreatic resections (n = 450) at our institution between January 2008 and November 2011, 76 patients who underwent a pylorus-preserving pancreatic head resection due to pancreatic head adenocarcinoma were selected for analysis. The revenues generated by these surgical procedures were compared with those of 144 patients who had undergone elective laparoscopic cholecystectomies for symptomatic gallstone disease between January 2009 and September 2010 in our hospital. RESULTS: In patients undergoing pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy, revenues per case were 1,585.55 Euros, with an average length of hospital stay (ALOS) of 19.9 days (range 7-55 days) and an average postoperative hospital stay of 16 days; however, if the ALOS was exceeded, expenditures increasingly exceeded returns. Analysis of the cohort of patients with pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomies demonstrated average revenues per day of 79.27 Euros. In contrast, for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which was treated with high surgical standardization and stringent case management, the ALOS was only 2.8 days, producing average revenues of 288.80 Euros per day and total revenues of 817.53 Euros per case. CONCLUSION: At university hospitals, cost-effective realization of major pancreatic surgery is difficult, while highly standardized surgeries such as laparoscopic cholecystectomies can be performed at a favorable balance. This may be due to, firstly, an underrepresentation of university hospitals in the German DRG calculation basis and, secondly, to a relatively long preoperative hospital stay as a result of extensive diagnostic measures. We consider this kind of preoperative assessment paramount for an academic pancreatic center and thus argue for an increased reimbursement for these procedures.
Authors: John D Birkmeyer; Andrea E Siewers; Emily V A Finlayson; Therese A Stukel; F Lee Lucas; Ida Batista; H Gilbert Welch; David E Wennberg Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2002-04-11 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: N Tjarda van Heek; Koert F D Kuhlmann; Rob J Scholten; Steve M M de Castro; Olivier R C Busch; Thomas M van Gulik; Huug Obertop; Dirk J Gouma Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2005-12 Impact factor: 12.969
Authors: Jaswinder S Samra; Raul Alvarado Bachmann; Julian Choi; Anthony Gill; Michael Neale; Vikram Puttaswamy; Cameron Bell; Ian Norton; Sarah Cho; Steven Blome; Ritchie Maher; Sivakumar Gananadha; Thomas J Hugh Journal: Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int Date: 2011-08
Authors: V E P P Lemmens; K Bosscha; G van der Schelling; S Brenninkmeijer; J W W Coebergh; I H J T de Hingh Journal: Br J Surg Date: 2011-06-29 Impact factor: 6.939