Supplementary materials: A real world cost-minimization analysis comparing the use of different endoscopic staplers in video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy procedures

<b>These are peer-re</b><b>viewed supplementary tables for the article '</b><b>A real world cost-minimization analysis comparing the use of different endoscopic staplers in video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy procedures</b><b>' published in the </b><b><i>Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research</i></b><b>.</b><b>Supplementary Table 1. </b>Patient baseline characteristics between Type A and Type B groups.<b>Supplementary Table 2. </b>Difference in costs between hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients.<b>Summary: </b><b>Aim:</b> China’s cost-containment measures increasingly focus solely on the prices of consumable medical supplies without taking a broader perspective on differences in features and overall costs. This study compared two types of endoscopic staplers in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy. <b>Materials &amp; methods:</b> Electronic medical records for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery from 2016 to 2017 were collected from a hospital in Anhui province. Two cohorts were retroactively defined based on stapler type. Total costs were compared using a cost-minimization analysis model. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed. <b>Results:</b> In the base case, the group using more expensive staplers achieved overall cost savings of about $300 per procedure. Sensitivity analysis confirmed this result in 86.5% of cases. <b>Conclusion:</b> A price-only supply selection strategy may have unintended cost consequences.