Abstract
BackgroundHigh cataract incidence and low cataract surgical rate are serious public health problems in China, despite the fact that efficient day care cataract surgery has been implemented in some public Tertiary A hospitals in China. In this study, we compared not only clinical outcomes, hospitalization time and total costs but also payment manners between day care and inpatient procedures for cataract surgery in a Jiangsu public Tertiary A hospital to put forward several instructional suggestions for the improvement of government medical policies.MethodsIn total, 4151 day care cases and 2509 inpatient cases underwent the same cataract surgery in the day care ward and ordinary ward respectively, and were defined as two groups. General information, complications, postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), hospitalization time, total costs and especially payment method were analyzed to compare day care versus inpatient.ResultsThe general data display no significant differences (P > 0.05), and no significant difference between complications and postoperative BCVA were observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). The period of stay in hospital was significantly different (P < 0.001). The total costs were lower for day care than for inpatients (P < 0.001). To avoid sampling error, we analyzed the data of payment manner for each patient among this period. Day care patients tended to pay for the procedure using the Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) method, while inpatients tended to use the Out-of-Pocket Medical Treatment (OMT) payment method (P < 0.001).ConclusionDay surgery of cataract is more cost-effective and efficient than inpatient surgery with equivalent clinical outcomes. As an efficient therapeutic regimen, day care surgery should be further promoted and supported by the government policies.
Highlights
High cataract incidence and low cataract surgical rate are serious public health problems in China, despite the fact that efficient day care cataract surgery has been implemented in some public Tertiary A hospitals in China
We compared the differences between day care and inpatient cataract surgery, the results of which will guide the further application of day care or inpatient care following cataract surgery
In this retrospective cohort study, inclusion and exclusion criteria included: 1) Patients were at least age thirty with a stable state of health and were diagnosed with cataracts in one or both eyes; 2) Patients with other ocular comorbidities that could affect the postoperative prognosis was ruled out by fundus assessment; 3) Each patient underwent surgery for only one eye; 4) All the patients were operated upon under topical anesthesia and were performed cataract surgery by phacoemulsification combined with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation.These two groups were respectively termed as day care group and inpatient group
Summary
High cataract incidence and low cataract surgical rate are serious public health problems in China, despite the fact that efficient day care cataract surgery has been implemented in some public Tertiary A hospitals in China. We compared clinical outcomes, hospitalization time and total costs and payment manners between day care and inpatient procedures for cataract surgery in a Jiangsu public Tertiary A hospital to put forward several instructional suggestions for the improvement of government medical policies. Cataracts may be classified into three categories: age-related cataracts, metabolic cataracts, and cataracts secondary to other causes. Age-related cataracts are the most common type in adults [1]. With a rapidly growing and aging population, the incidence of cataracts is subsequently increasing.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
