Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sarcomas present a unique challenge within healthcare systems due to their rarity and complex treatment requirements. This study explores the economic impact of sarcoma surgeries across three Swiss tertiary healthcare institutions, utilizing a consistent surgical approach by a single surgeon to eliminate variability in surgical expertise as a confounding factor. METHODS: By analyzing data from 356 surgeries recorded in a real-world-time data warehouse, this study assesses surgical and hospital costs relative to institutional characteristics and surgical complexity. RESULTS: Our findings reveal significant cost variations driven more by institutional resource management and pricing strategies than by surgical techniques. Surgical and total hospitalization costs were analyzed in relation to tumor dignity and complexity scores, showing that higher complexity and malignancy significantly increase costs. Interestingly, it was found that surgical costs accounted for only one-third of the total hospitalization costs, highlighting the substantial impact of non-surgical factors on the overall cost of care. CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores the need for standardized cost assessment practices and highlights the potential of predictive models in enhancing resource allocation and surgical planning. By advocating for value-based healthcare models and standardized treatment guidelines, this research contributes to more equitable and sustainable healthcare delivery for sarcoma patients. These insights affirm the necessity of including a full spectrum of care costs in value-based models to truly optimize healthcare delivery. These insights prompt a reevaluation of current policies and encourage further research across diverse geographical settings to refine cost management strategies in sarcoma treatment.