Intuitive procedures COST MORE..LOTS MORE

[Anonymous]

When are the hospitals going to stop the INSANITY????
Get off the sinking ship.
Be glad you didnt join company...

A-hoy mate!!

A new study says that robot-assisted prostatectomy may be a cost-sink, but Intuitive Surgical says that the study is an "outlier."



Robot-assisted prostate surgery may be a profit-sink for hospitals, according to a new study set to be published in the July issue of the journal Urology.

Researchers looking at direct and indirect costs of robot-assisted prostatectomy compared with standard open surgery concluded that providers lost nearly $5,300 per patient on average when opting for the higher-tech procedure, results which market leader Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) views as problematic.

 

[Anonymous]

When are the hospitals going to stop the INSANITY????
Get off the sinking ship.
Be glad you didnt join company...

A-hoy mate!!

May 25, 2012 by Arezu Sarvestani




A new study says that robot-assisted prostatectomy may be a cost-sink, but Intuitive Surgical says that the study is an "outlier."



Robot-assisted prostate surgery may be a profit-sink for hospitals, according to a new study set to be published in the July issue of the journal Urology.

Researchers looking at direct and indirect costs of robot-assisted prostatectomy compared with standard open surgery concluded that providers lost nearly $5,300 per patient on average when opting for the higher-tech procedure, results which market leader Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) views as problematic.

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"They don't have any clinical outcomes in there," Intuitive Surgical chief medical advisor Myriam Curet told MassDevice.com today.

Prior studies have suggested that complication and mortality rates are lower for procedures conducted with robot assistance, but no randomized studies have yet to compare open surgery and robot-assisted prostatectomy directly. In a health care environment ruled by pricing pressures and cost concerns, health providers are eager to ensure that they're getting the most bang for their buck in terms of new technology.

Robot-assisted surgery has become the preferred means of prostatectomy during the last decade, but the data demonstrating a conclusive benefit to the high-tech option is limited, researchers warned.

"Nearly 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually, and radical prostatectomy is the most common treatment," Nelson said. "It is reasonable to question whether the increased costs of this robotic-assisted approach are justified."

"It's really about cost-effectiveness, not just about acquisition costs," Curet told us. "If you look at the entirely of costs, including recovery and everything like that, we bring value there."

"When you have a 3-fold increase in mortality in an open procedure compared to robotic, I think that's a pretty powerful argument about bringing benefits to a patient, and that needs to be considered in the cost-analysis," she added.

 

[Anonymous]

Overall cost may not be an issue but what happens to the prostatectomy procedures that are likely to dry up with the reports that PSAs should not be used to determine prostate cancer? If the information that they claim is true that only 3% of all prostate cancers need surgical intervention, Intutitive is going to have to find something new to drive their numbers.

 

[Anonymous]

Overall cost may not be an issue but what happens to the prostatectomy procedures that are likely to dry up with the reports that PSAs should not be used to determine prostate cancer? If the information that they claim is true that only 3% of all prostate cancers need surgical intervention, Intutitive is going to have to find something new to drive their numbers.

That's easy. Prostates are 1/5th of the Hysterectomy market. 1/100th of the General Surgery market........etc etc etc

 

[Anonymous]

You guys all say that until you get a prostate cancer diagnosis... Pretty sure you'll be singing a different tune when you choose an ineffective radiation treatment. Ask your urologist what your chances of having a salvage prostatectomy are. Not to mention the negative effects of radiation that impact the same things you are worried about with surgery. Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

I can't even begin to tell you about all the accounting errors in this study. I mean please. The urology group acted as if they were the only group using that system. Its just flat out wrong. Obviously one of the largest open surgeons in the country trying to protect his business in the only way left he thought he could do so. What a shame. He has good skills and could be a great surgeon but he'll be lucky to be operating in 5yrs. When everyone is doing multi quadrant single site with flexible arms through a 15mm port he'll be out of the biz all together. On a positive note for him, he'll probably make more $$ as an administrator. Good luck Joel.

May 25, 2012 by Arezu Sarvestani




A new study says that robot-assisted prostatectomy may be a cost-sink, but Intuitive Surgical says that the study is an "outlier."



Robot-assisted prostate surgery may be a profit-sink for hospitals, according to a new study set to be published in the July issue of the journal Urology.

Researchers looking at direct and indirect costs of robot-assisted prostatectomy compared with standard open surgery concluded that providers lost nearly $5,300 per patient on average when opting for the higher-tech procedure, results which market leader Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) views as problematic.

Sign up to get our free newsletters delivered right to your inbox.

"They don't have any clinical outcomes in there," Intuitive Surgical chief medical advisor Myriam Curet told MassDevice.com today.

Prior studies have suggested that complication and mortality rates are lower for procedures conducted with robot assistance, but no randomized studies have yet to compare open surgery and robot-assisted prostatectomy directly. In a health care environment ruled by pricing pressures and cost concerns, health providers are eager to ensure that they're getting the most bang for their buck in terms of new technology.

Robot-assisted surgery has become the preferred means of prostatectomy during the last decade, but the data demonstrating a conclusive benefit to the high-tech option is limited, researchers warned.

"Nearly 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually, and radical prostatectomy is the most common treatment," Nelson said. "It is reasonable to question whether the increased costs of this robotic-assisted approach are justified."

"It's really about cost-effectiveness, not just about acquisition costs," Curet told us. "If you look at the entirely of costs, including recovery and everything like that, we bring value there."

"When you have a 3-fold increase in mortality in an open procedure compared to robotic, I think that's a pretty powerful argument about bringing benefits to a patient, and that needs to be considered in the cost-analysis," she added.