TIME PARAMETERS FOR GLAUCOMA PROCEDURES

Changes in physician reimbursement and the practice environment have e mphasized the importance of determining physician time for procedures and services. Forty-five percent of the members of the American Glauco ma Society responded to a mail survey of estimates of the length of ti me and number of visits for the preoperative, operative, and 90-day po stoperative care for six common glaucoma procedures. Results suggest a significant underestimation of time for trabeculectomies exists in th e original and new resource-based relative value scale work values. Fu rther, 47% to 53% of surgeons hospitalize patients on at least the fir st postoperative day. There were no apparent time efficiencies between ''high-'' and ''low-volume'' respondents. Thus, careful attention sho uld be paid to the accuracy of certain time estimates and the resultin g work values in the resource-based relative value scale. Additional w ork in this and other areas may prove illuminating.