Use of Big Data Analysis Techniques to Understand True Costs of Acellular Dermal Matrices vs. Free Tissue Transfer in Lower Extremity Salvage

Over the past twenty years, a paradigm shift has resulted in the usage of acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) to take the place of more invasive free tissue transfer (FTT) techniques for lower extremity salvage. In many instances, these simpler forms of reconstruction can result in closed and thus salvaged limbs without the requisite long operating times and hospital stays associated with the more advanced forms of reconstruction. The cost of ADMs can make them limited in their availability with institutions looking only at their price without factoring in all the different elements of the different approaches that reflect the true cost to the hospital and healthcare system as a whole. Previous cost analysis are woefully inadequate in their estimation and compare patients who have undergone different techniques with the inherent confounders therein.

Big data analysis techniques are frequently used in industries, e.g. retail, marketing and finance, to understand true costs to the involved entities, as well as to estimate potential impacts of changing strategy. Healthcare providers have been slower to adopt these powerful tools despite the wealth of data available in ever growing electronic medical records (EMR) for entire systems.

By coupling a rigorous and thorough data collection query of our EMR with actual human resources, product procurement and facility costs, it is our intent to demonstrate the true cost of successful limb salvage in 5 patients using ADMs. 

This data will then be analyzed using big data analysis techniques to compare the actual cost of their reconstruction with a theoretical FTT in the same patients to accurately estimate differences in cost and determinants therein.

Trademarked Items (if applicable):

References (if applicable):