Peer-reviewed research
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
Read the originalRead on October 17, 2026
- What it is
- A retrospective economic analysis of carpal tunnel releases in the National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery. It compares the charges for the operation in hospital outpatient departments with freestanding ambulatory surgery centers.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed and based on a national survey. It uses 2006 data and reports charges, not what patients pay, so the dollar gap is indicative only. The direction of the setting effect is the useful finding.
Facts taken from this source
- 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.
“HOPD setting was strongly associated with total charges, with $500 higher charge per CTR” (Results)