iarjmsIARJMSIARJMS2708-3594https://doi.org/10.47310/iarjms.2021.v02i01.079Cost Comparison of Laparoscopy, Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopy and Open Nephrectomy in a Selected Teaching HospitalMr.KritharthPkSaldanhaMrs.AvrilRebelloEntry into the healthcare system is fundamentally shaped by individual wants, resources, and needs, with the ability to obtain services influenced by factors such as travel distance, waiting times, financial capacity, and access to regular care. Central to care-seeking behavior is the perceived "cost" of healthcare, which patients often seek to minimize, though cost reduction strategies typically involve either cutting benefits or rationing services. From the perspective of hospital administrators and physicians, healthcare costs refer to the production expenses incurred in delivering patient care, including direct costs and appropriate overhead allocations for administration, personnel, equipment, and facility maintenance. These costs ultimately inform hospital charges, which represent the prices set for services. Healthcare costs are distinguished from health expenditures, with the latter referring to the amounts actually paid or charged for services rendered. Parallel to these economic considerations, surgical technology has advanced significantly, offering alternatives to traditional open surgery. Open surgery, characterized by large incisions and extended recovery periods, remains common but is increasingly complemented by minimally invasive approaches. Laparoscopic surgery utilizes small incisions, video cameras, and specialized instruments to perform procedures with reduced trauma. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery represents a further technological evolution, employing a robotic device controlled by a surgeon from a console to achieve enhanced precision, magnification, and three-dimensional visualization. This approach combines the benefits of minimally invasive techniques with superior instrument maneuverability. Robotic surgery offers patients multiple advantages over open surgery, including smaller incisions, reduced pain, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery times, and improved clinical outcomes, thereby transforming the surgical landscape while introducing new cost considerations for healthcare systems.