OBJECTIVES: To estimate the healthcare resource utilization and direct medical costs among patients receiving treatment for pelvic fractures in the United States.

METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal cohort study included Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and the Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits databases. Patients that received open or closed treatment (index event) for pelvic fractures from 2012 to 2016 were identified using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code series 272xx (15-18, 20, 22, 26-28) or 27130. Analyses were performed at the index and at 12-month follow up after the index. The outcome measures included length of stay and costs during the index hospitalization and readmission rates and all-cause direct medical costs for both inpatient and outpatient services during the 12-month follow-up period.

RESULTS: A total of 4,994 patients in the commercial and 1,735 patients in Medicare databases were identified that underwent procedures for pelvic fractures from 2012-2016. A majority was male, 65.5% in commercial with age between 46-64 years and 54.4% in Medicare with age greater than equal to 65 years. The mean (SD) length of stay were 9.34 (±10.69) days and 5.16 (± 6.57) days and the mean costs for index hospitalization were $79,961(±123,887) and $22,099 (±57,737) for commercial and Medicare populations respectively. During the 12-month follow-up the rates of readmission were 39.3% and 40.2% and the mean (SD) total all-cause direct costs were $ 36,371 (±75,037) and $41,128 (±61,912) for commercial and Medicare populations respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The results show that patients receiving treatment for pelvic fractures not only have long length of stay and burdensome costs for index pelvic procedures but also have high 12-month readmission rates and post-index costs. Better cost efficient medical procedures are warranted to successfully treat patients and address the current economic burden.