Calculating the true cost of robotic hysterectomy.

Although robotic hysterectomy does not produce significantly better outcomes than laparoscopic hysterectomy, hospitals may feel pressure from patients and clinicians to use the robotic procedure. Hospitals that opt for robotic hysterectomy over laparoscopic hysterectomy face not only higher variable costs, but also an opportunity cost in the form of lost surgical capacity. Estimating the opportunity cost of performing robotic hysterectomy provides crucial data for hospital executives in deciding whether to invest in the procedure.