Most Frequent Operating Room Procedures Performed in U.S. Hospitals, 2003–2012

Excerpt

Nearly two-thirds of all hospitalizations involve some type of procedure. Many procedures that occur in the hospital setting, such as blood transfusions and vaccinations, are performed outside the operating room (OR). Other procedures, such as hip replacement and spinal fusion, are surgical in nature and are performed in the OR. In 2011, nearly 29 percent of hospital stays involved OR procedures and 48 percent of hospital costs were for stays that involved OR procedures. Mean hospital costs for stays with OR procedures were more than double the mean costs for stays without OR procedures.

This Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Brief presents data on OR procedures that were performed most frequently in U.S. hospitals in 2012 among all nonmaternal and nonneonatal stays. Only data on OR procedures associated with an inpatient hospital stay are included. The OR procedures with the greatest change in occurrence (either increasing or decreasing) from 2003 to 2012 are provided. Finally, the OR procedures that were performed most frequently and underwent the greatest change in occurrence are presented by patient age group, patient sex, and expected primary payer.