Fact · Accessibility and health
500US dollars more per release
In a study of 2006 charges, carpal tunnel releases done in hospital outpatient departments were charged about $500 more each than those done in freestanding ambulatory surgery centers.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“HOPD setting was strongly associated with total charges, with $500 higher charge per CTR”
The Effect of Moving Carpal Tunnel Releases Out of Hospitals Can on Reducing U.S. Healthcare Charges, Christine Nguyen et al., The Journal of Hand Surgery, 2015, Results.
Open the original- What it measures
- The study used a national survey of ambulatory surgery in 2006 and grouped facilities by the average charge per release. HOPD means hospital outpatient department.
- What it does not show
- These are 2006 charges to the payer, not prices for patients today, and the amounts have likely changed. The direction, that setting drives cost, is the finding to take from it.