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Cataract Surgery in ASCs: Non-Clinical Efficiency Studied

The Ambulatory Surgery Non-Clinical Study, conducted by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) Institute for Quality Improvement, examined the performance of pre-procedure processing of patients, staffing and purchasing practices, scheduling, billing and collection methods for ambulatory surgery centers performing cataract extraction with lens insertion.

The study provides opportunities to initiate performance measurements on key administrative and financial processes and outcomes for ASCs. The study was not designed for use in assigning "relative values." Key findings follow:

Patient Satisfaction

►89% of patients responded that their healthcare providers listened carefully to them; the same percentage indicated that their healthcare provider showed respect for what they had to say

►95% of patients stated that their healthcare providers explained what was going to happen in a way that the patients could understand; the same percentage felt that their healthcare providers spent enough time with them (the patients)

►97% of patients reported that their healthcare providers explained what patients should do after surgery in a way the patients could understand

►98% rated their overall experience as positive.

Staffing and Supply Costs

►Staff costs per procedure ranged from $26 to $220 (with a median of $110)

►Efficiencies related to lower staff costs included using part-time staff, cross-training staff and preparing paperwork/charts in advance

►Median supply cost per procedure to the organization was $310

►Efficiencies associated with lower costs included standardizing supplies, consolidating vendor contracts, reviewing vendor performance/pricing and streamlining supply packs used for procedures. OM

About the Data: This summary was taken from the cataract surgery part of the first Ambulatory Surgery Non-Clinical Study undertaken by the Performance Measurement Initiative (PMI), the centerpiece of the AAAHC Institute, a not-for-profit quality improvement subsidiary of the Accreditation AAAHC.

This information was collected from 33 organizations between July-September 2004. These organizations perform more than 116,666 cataract surgeries per year. Real-time data were collected between July 2004 and January 2005 for issues including: scheduling, processing the patient, clinical staffing, facility time, billing, collection and other costs associated with the procedures. For more information, please visit the AAAHC Institute Web site at http://www.aaahciqi.org.