Smith & Nephew’s OXINIUM™ Technology for Hips could save the US Health System an estimated $296 Million in 2020

Smith & Nephew (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN), the global medical technology business, today presented new data at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), Annual Meeting in New Orleans. This data, presented for the first time, compared 90-day episode of care outcomes for its proprietary OXINIUM™, Oxidized Zirconium alloy, bearing surface with all other non-OXINIUM bearing surfaces for total hip replacement surgery. Key takeaways included:

• OXINIUM reduced post-acute average cost per 90-day episode of care by $595 (9.88%)¹ helping providers in bundled payment systems. These savings are the result of lower use of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), fewer related hospital readmissions, and less time in inpatient rehabilitation.
• When compared to patients implanted with all other bearing surfaces, those implanted with OXINIUM demonstrated:
  • 21.3% lower rates of 30-day all cause readmissions¹,
  • 12.7% lower rates of 90-day all cause readmissions¹, 
  • 15.9% lower rates of discharge to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)¹,
  • 11.9% lower average length of stay in SNFs¹, and
  • 34.4% lower revision rate in the first 90 days¹

If OXINIUM was used in all US primary hip procedures in 2020, projected volume to be 498,000², there could be an estimated $296 million savings to the US health system*.

The study reports on data collected using the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model developed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve outcomes through a bundled payment model. Recognition by CMS of OXINIUM as a unique bearing surface has enabled this large-scale comparison of OXINIUM versus non-OXINIUM bearings for the first time.

Patients have a higher risk for postoperative complications and readmissions when discharged to a skilled nursing facility compared with patients discharged to home³.  With the increased emphasis on quality and value, readmission rates are an important indicator for quality of patient care⁴.

“Smith & Nephew is committed to helping patients live a Life Unlimited. This comes to fruition through innovative technologies, like the OXINIUM hip bearing surface, that lead the way in healthcare by reducing the economic burden of readmissions¹ and helping patients return home sooner¹,” said Mike Donoghue, Smith & Nephew Senior Vice President of Global Orthopaedics.

OXINIUM femoral heads launched in 2002 and have now been implanted over 700,000 times worldwide⁵.

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Dave Snyder
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Smith & Nephew plc

Charles Reynolds
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Smith & Nephew plc

About OXINIUM

More than two decades ago, Smith & Nephew introduced OXINIUM™ Oxidized Zirconium. This patented metal alloy is available for many of our knee and hip implant systems. 

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business that exists to restore people’s bodies, and their self-belief. Smith & Nephew has leadership positions in Orthopaedics, Advanced Wound Management and Sports Medicine, more than 16,000 employees and a presence in more than 100 countries. Annual sales in 2018 were $4.9 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our corporate website www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

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