Trends in health service delivery for cataract surgery at a large Australian ophthalmic hospital

Purpose: To evaluate trends in health service delivery for cataract surgery at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of computerized hospital admis sions for cataract surgery from July 1994 through June 1999. Main outcome m easures included the annual number of cataract surgeries, waiting time, per centage of patients hospitalized overnight, length of overnight hospitaliza tion, type of cataract surgery, surgery duration and total time in the oper ating theatre. Results: Although the annual number of patients undergoing cataract surgery increased from 3395 to 4796 over the 5-year study interval, there was a 13 -day reduction in mean waiting time for public patients, a 30% reduction in overnight hospitalizations and a half-day reduction in length of hospitali zation for all patients. There was also an increasing trend in use of phaco emulsification cataract extraction. Conclusions: The health-care delivery for cataract surgery appears to have improved during the past 5 years at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospita l.