Assuring and improving quality in cataract surgery through benchmarking of the medical outcome and patient satisfaction

Session Details

Session Title: Cataract I
Session Date/Time: Friday 26/02/2016 | 10:30-12:30
Paper Time: 11:57
Venue: MC3 Room
First Author: : R.Kemmler-v. Saint Paul GERMANY
Co Author(s): :    T. Tandogan              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

This study aims at supporting eye clinics to measure, analyze and optimize the outcome quality in cataract surgery across Germany.

Setting:

Since 2012, all patients undergoing cataract surgery at 20 different study centers across Germany have been recruited for this observational study.

Methods:

In the context of this study, quality data are continuously collected across the whole cataract treatment cycle by >200 surgeons and following-up ophthalmologists. Data comprise patient characteristics, medical findings and patient satisfaction with various aspects of care. For each surgical center, the data are analyzed separately and compared with the results of other centers using valid and clinically relevant quality indicators as well as multivariate statistics. The results are finally discussed with the physicians to derive individual measures for further improving quality.

Results:

On a nationwide scale, the post-surgical refraction did not deviate from the target refraction by more than 0.5 D in 57.8% of cases. With respect to visual rehabilitation, 81.6% of cases achieved a BCVA of 0.8 or better (only cases w/o comorbidities reducing visual acuity were considered). Compared to these reference values, one center had a significantly lower refractive outcome, and another center a lower visual outcome. While a large proportion of patients (>88%) was very satisfied with different aspects of care, also larger individual deviations could be identified, e.g. concerning patient education or perception of pain.

Conclusions:

The results demonstrate that the average outcome quality of cataract surgery is high. Benchmarking of the medical outcome and patient satisfaction, however, also reveals the need and possible points for improvement of care. It will be monitored if the individual measures that were derived for improving (i) refractive accuracy (e.g. by selecting the optimal intraocular lens), (ii) for improving visual acuity (e.g. by reducing the rate of surgical complications) or (iii) for improving patient satisfaction (e.g. by implementing a more detailed process for patient education) are effective.

Financial Disclosure:

One or more of the authors gains financially from product or procedure presented, One or more of the authors is employed by a for-profit company with an interest in the subject of the presentation