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Cost containment need not be imposed on physicians by government, insurance companies and hospital administrators. Decreases in hospital cost can be achieved voluntarily by physicians without sacrificing quality of care, especially for common procedures with relatively homogeneous patient populations, such as transurethral prostatectomy. Variations in existing practice were identified and shared, and optimal scientific practice was discussed at 5 meetings of the division of urology during a 16-month period. Strict guidelines were not developed; surgeons were encouraged to apply cost-related knowledge individually. Resource use was measured before, during and after the intervention. A total of 356 transurethral prostatectomies was studied. There were significant decreases in preoperative and postoperative length of stay, specific ordering practices and total hospital charges. University faculty differed from community urologists and individual surgeons varied considerably. Suggestions for scientific cost management in prostatectomy are presented.