RESUMO
PURPOSE: We conducted this study to evaluate the safety and costs of traditional mandatory preoperative assessment for cataract surgery patients compared with a novel graded preoperative assessment system. METHODS: Patients were recruited at a high-volume surgical centre from May to November 2013. Patients completed a health-related questionnaire which allowed for a graded preoperative assessment of all participants. Based on responses to the questionnaire, patients were classified preoperatively into a) low-risk patients not requiring a preoperative assessment and b) high-risk patients requiring this assessment. Anesthesiologists still assessed all patients immediately before surgery but with staff blinded to preoperative assessment information for low-risk patients. Observed complication rates and costs were compared with those expected in the mandatory assessment system. RESULTS: We examined 3,347 cataract surgeries on 2,766 patients and categorized 59.9% of patients as low risk. In the graded system cohort, there were no major complications and a low rate of minor complications occurred. Wherever a complication occurred in a low-risk patient, the anesthesiologist doubted that the preoperative assessment information would have prevented the complication. If implemented, the graded system would save approximately 4,414 preoperative assessments per year in our region, with an associated cost of approximately $40.00 per surgery, or $359,000 in total. The cost to prevent a single minor complication with the mandatory system was approximately $8,976, with a number needed to treat of 223. CONCLUSION: The graded system resulted in no major complications and a low rate of minor complications. The information obtained from the mandatory assessment is unlikely to prevent complications. Additionally, the cost effectiveness of the mandatory system was poor. This novel graded preoperative assessment system for cataract surgery patients can save time and resources by eliminating unnecessary patient visits.