By Adam Rubenfire
The average cost of operating room tables increased this year as more providers purchased orthopedic specialty and hybrid OR tables, which can cost two to four times more than general surgical tables, according to the latest Modern Healthcare/ECRI Institute Technology Price Index.
Demand for orthopedic tables has grown as knee and hip surgeries performed on the aging U.S. population spike, said Kevin Lee, senior analyst for ECRI’s SELECTplus procurement advisory service.
Providers paid an average of $68,476 for OR tables between August and October, up 18% from the same period last year, the most recent Technology Price Index data showed. The TPI provides monthly and annual data on pricing for 30 supply and capital items that hospitals and other provider organizations purchase, based on three-month rolling averages.
The price of OR tables varies widely as they increase in sophistication. ECRI experts say they can cost from $25,000 to $250,000, with tables used in hybrid ORs—operating rooms that include imaging equipment—accounting for the most expensive models.
