Introducing the operative value index for glioma surgery: an integration of quality-adjusted life years with time-driven activity-based costing.

Background: Although many studies have examined outcomes after glioma surgery, few have explored the factors driving variation in the cost-effectiveness of surgical care. In this study, we integrate granular time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) methodology with quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) to measure the true "value" (outcomes achieved per dollar spent) of glioma surgery.

Methods: 176 glioma surgeries performed at a single institution were reviewed.

Are Mildly Disabled Patients Appropriate for Spine Bundles? An Application of the Operative Value Index.

Introduction: Many studies have evaluated the effect of preoperative disability status on functional outcomes following spine surgery. However, no research has compared the "value" (outcomes per dollar spent) of surgery for patients with different levels of diagnosis-specific disability.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 429 patients who underwent neurosurgical anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.