Effectiveness and efficiency of a special program to reduce the bariatric surgery waiting list at a tertiary hospital.

INTRODUCTION:Bariatric surgery is one of the most common surgical practices in Spain. However, this procedure currently has longest delay on surgical waiting lists (SWL). We have developed a special surgical program that aims to reduce this waiting list and to assess the economic and clinical repercussions in a high-volume bariatric surgery unit. METHODS:A three-month prospective study was carried out comparing outcomes, results and perioperative resources consumed for 45 patients who underwent bariatric surgery. The patients were divided into 2 groups: patients who underwent the standard procedure in the operating room, and patients treated in the special program. Epidemiological, healthcare and economic factors were taken into account. RESULTS:Two homogeneous groups of patients were operated on, successfully reducing the SWL. Morbidity was similar in both groups and the average cost of the surgeries performed was €5,331.40; in the standard group, the cost was €5,372.50±€798.10, and the cost of the special program group was €5,290.30±€685.10, with no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS:In hospitals with a high volume of bariatric surgery, it is feasible to incorporate special surgical programs that are able to reduce surgical waiting lists, while maintaining quality criteria and without incurring a greater expense to the healthcare system.