Study shows large shift in cataract surgery from hospitals to ASCs

Editor's Note

National data show a large shift in cataract surgeries from hospitals to less expensive ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), where care can be delivered faster and closer to home, this study finds.

From 2001 to 2014, the proportion of cataract surgeries performed at ASCs increased steadily from 43.6% to 73%. The analysis included 369,320 patients in a nationwide managed care network who had cataract surgery.

Future research is needed to assess the effect of this transition to ASCs on patient access to surgery, outcomes, patient safety, and costs, the researchers note.

Question What proportion of cataract surgeries in the United States are performed at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), how has this changed over time, and what factors affect the location where cataract surgery takes place?

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