How to Run a Cost-Effective Operating Room: Opportunities for Efficiency and Cost-Savings.

US health care spending is growing at an unsustainable rate. Since physicians control or influence the majority of spending, it is our responsibility to try and control costs. As surgeons we need to learn and consider the cost of implants and supplies and factor them into our treatment decisions to ensure we are providing value for our patients. Although the burden is on us to become more cost conscious, we should never do it at the expense of quality of patient care.