Study: Heart Surgery Robots Are Worth the Cost

Dr. Jeffrey A. Morgan and his team at Columbia University in New York concluded that robotic technology did not significantly increase hospital cost. Adding these cost benefits to the improvement in patients' postoperative quality of life and quicker return to activity resulting from robotic surgery, the investment in this emerging technology could be justified.

While potential benefits of robotic technology include decreased morbidity and improved recovery, some have suggested a prohibitively high cost.

A recent study in Journal of Cardiac Surgery compared actual hospital costs of robotically assisted cardiac procedures with conventional techniques. The research looked at financial data of 20 patients who underwent two different cardiac procedures using robotic and conventional approaches. It was determined that although actual hospital cost to conduct the procedure was not higher, when considering the capital investment for the robot, costs were just $300.00 higher.

Is robotic technology reducing health care costs for cardiac patients?