Optimization of Treatment Costs in Diseases and Injuries of the Hand: a Narrative Review of the Literature and Presentation of Personal Experiences.

Abstract

Background: Expenditure on health care has been growing for many years at a constantly accelerating pace, especially in the last dozen or so years. The trend towards cost reduction and rationalized spending has become a challenge that health care providers and payers are trying to meet. The aim of this study was to identify and analyse the factors that affect the costs of treatment of diseases and injuries of the hand as well as finding effective methods of reducing them.

Material and methods: An analysis identified seven elements driving the costs of treatment, from the diagnosis of an illness or injury to rehabilitation. The paper presents the author's own experiences and a review of the literature from the PubMed and Medline databases on the variables affecting the cost of treatment of common hand injuries and diseases.

Results: The analysis showed that each of cost-driving elements can be reasonably reduced, without having a negative impact on the safety of the patient and the doctor. The greatest potential for cost reduction is related to the patient's anaesthesia and surgical treatment.

Conclusion: The implementation of relatively simple changes in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures brings multiple benefits to all stakeholders, i.e., the patient, the doctor, the hospital and the overall health care budget. This approach is not only economically rational, but also ecological.