Author(s)
Julie Wei, MD MMM
Jillian Wilkerson, B.A. M.S
Kelley Mathis
Affiliation(s)
Akron Children's Hospital, Northeast Ohio College of Medicine
Abstract:
Background:
Economic pressures from international trade policies and inflation are increasingly influencing hospital supply chains and surgical costs. Many operating room (OR) procedure packs used in pediatric otolaryngology are manufactured or assembled outside the United States, making them particularly vulnerable to tariff-related cost escalation. This study evaluates the financial impact of tariffs on two of the most commonly performed pediatric ENT surgeries — bilateral myringotomy with tube placement (BMT) and tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy (T&A) — and describes institutional strategies to mitigate cost increases.
Methods:
Procedure-specific OR supply data were reviewed for BMT and T&A cases performed from 2020–2025 at a tertiary children’s hospital. Cost changes were analyzed for standardized Medline OR packs assembled in Mexico and imported to the United States. Tariff-related cost adjustments were identified through vendor documentation and hospital procurement data. Cost-mitigation strategies implemented by the hospital, including supply consolidation, contract renegotiation, and pack reconfiguration, were evaluated for their impact on cost avoidance.
Results:
Preliminary data demonstrate measurable increases in baseline OR supply costs following implementation of tariff adjustments, with disproportionate effects on single-use items included in standard Medline packs. Institutional interventions yielded meaningful cost avoidance despite continued inflationary pressures. Additionally, partnership between surgeons and supply chain analysts can eliminate unnecessary supplies that create material waste, environmental impact, and unnecessary expense for the hospital amidst continued reduction in healthcare reimbursements.
Conclusions:
Tariff-related increases in OR supply costs have tangible downstream effects on pediatric ENT practice. Awareness of these economic forces, coupled with proactive cost mitigation, vendor collaboration, and surgeon partnership with hospital supply chain analysts are essential to maintaining surgical value and sustainability across pediatric subspecialties.