PREFcards Identifies 48% Reduction in Supply Costs Across 4 Procedures — Representing 12× ROI
A usage analysis at a Las Vegas ASC found that PREFcards delivered $58,000 in supply cost savings across just four common surgical procedures, representing a 48% cost reduction and 12× return on investment in year one.
Background
Surgeon preference cards are tools that help ensure consistent and efficient surgical procedure setup. They contain information about surgeon preferences for instruments, implantable items, and other medical supplies used during a specific procedure. Accurate cards streamline the surgical process and reduce waste — saving time and money across every case.
Research supports the impact of well-managed preference cards. A study by Watanabe et al. found that preference card use resulted in a 50% reduction in instrument set-up time and a 20% reduction in instrument tray inventory. A separate study by Russell et al. found that preference cards reduced instrument loss and saved over $120,000 per year at one facility.
PREFcards is designed to automate the creation and management of preference cards while providing real-time business intelligence reports and recommendations to reduce unnecessary supply spend.
Case Study
To demonstrate the cost effectiveness of PREFcards, a usage analysis was performed on four common procedures at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Las Vegas. The procedures selected — knee arthroscopies, shoulder arthroscopies, breast augmentations, and abdominoplasties — were chosen for their case volume and preference card accuracy.
The baseline cost of each surgeon’s preference card was compared against PREFcards’ recommended supplies for each procedure. Cost savings were prorated against the number of cases performed over a year.
Results by Procedure
| Surgeon | Procedure | Current Cost | PREFcards Cost | Cases/Year | Est. Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Knee Arthroscopy | $178.32 | $103.21 | 167 | $12,543 |
| 3 | Knee Arthroscopy | $282.08 | $60.21 | 66 | $14,643 |
| 5 | Breast Augmentation | $102.55 | $71.89 | 65 | $1,993 |
| 8 | Breast Augmentation | $309.28 | $81.89 | 11 | $2,501 |
| 10 | Shoulder Arthroscopy | $387.57 | $108.83 | 69 | $19,233 |
| 12 | Abdominoplasty | $250.89 | $167.62 | 10 | $833 |
| 13 | Abdominoplasty | $422.75 | $176.87 | 6 | $1,475 |
| 14 | Abdominoplasty | $282.18 | $188.87 | 40 | $3,732 |
Total estimated annual savings across 4 procedures: $58,000
This represents a 48% reduction in supply costs and a 12× return on investment — from an analysis covering only about 7% of total surgical volume at this ASC.
Extrapolated across all procedures, the projected ROI exceeds 100× the cost of PREFcards software.
Conclusion
PREFcards delivered meaningful, measurable savings even when the analysis was intentionally limited in scope. By recommending the most cost-effective supplies for each procedure and surfacing cost variation across surgeons, PREFcards gives surgical leaders the data they need to make informed decisions — without adding manual work to already-stretched teams.
Book a demo to run a Procedure Cost report for your own facility and see where the savings are.
References
- Watanabe H, Arita T, Kato M, et al. The effect of using a surgical instrument set-up list on surgical time and costs. International Journal of Surgery. 2014;12(7):674–677.
- Russell T, Arnot R, Driscoll P, et al. The use of preference cards in surgical practice. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2007;89(3):267–270.