The mass knee clinic: a cost–benefit analysis

Abstract

Background/Aims Many trusts struggle to meet the government-mandated referral-to-treatment target of 18 weeks. The mass knee clinic model is an innovative approach to elective service organisation, allowing large numbers of new patients to be seen in one day in a multidisciplinary setting. This study describes a cost–benefit analysis of the mass knee clinic in an NHS trust. Methods Data were taken from trust management regarding the number of patients seen in the clinic and the staff required to deliver it. Staff and non-staff costs were calculated using data from NHS England. The costs per appointment were calculated and the average number of patient visits required were compared to data from before the implementation of the clinic to find the associated cost savings. Results The average cost per appointment at the mass knee clinic was £98.52, with an average of 152.64 patients seen per clinic day. The mean number of patient visits required fell from 4.57 to 2.41 following the implementation of the clinic. Overall, the clinic can produce cost savings £29 335.43 per clinic day and £264 018.89 per year. Conclusions The mass knee clinic model can produce substantial cost savings and increase efficiency, allowing better management of waiting times and reducing reliance on outsourcing.