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The following is a summary of “Evaluation of the cost and care outcomes by group related to the diagnosis of bariatric surgery,” published in the November 2024 issue of Surgery by Böger et al.

A comprehensive assessment was conducted on individuals undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), focusing on the associated costs and care stages within a healthcare provider, emphasizing Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG).  

Researchers conducted a prospective study to evaluate the cost and care outcomes for individuals undergoing MBS.  

They analyzed individuals coded with metabolic and MBS between 01/2019 and 06/2023 who underwent gastrectomy, and costs were derived from administrative payment data. Statistical tests included Levene, Student’s t-test, Kendall’s tau, and Pearson’s chi-square.  

The results showed that 1,408 individuals underwent MBS at four hospitals. Of these, 74.8% were female, with a mean age of 37.31 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 40.3 kg/m², most individuals (88.9%) had gastric bypass surgery. Complications included vascular issues (22.45%, n=11), hemorrhage and hematoma (8.16%, n=4), and leakage (8.16%, n=4); only 1 individual passed away during the study. Additionally, 67 readmissions within 30 days (4.75%) total median costs were $4,078.53, with a positive correlation between post-discharge expenses and age (P<0.05).  

They concluded that MBS involved significant complexity and cost, suggesting a need for more personalized post-operative care and resource allocation.  

Source: bmcsurg.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12893-024-02682-y