Current trends in cataract surgery in Denmark ‐ 1997 survey

Abstract

ABSTRACT. A survey of the preferred techniques and choices in cataract surgery of the members of the Danish Ophthalmological Society with address in Denmark was performed in January 1998. Only ophthalmologists performing cataract surgery were asked to return the questionnaire. Ninety-one responses were received by the cut-off day, representing 28 872 cataract operations per year. The data were compared to data from previous surveys in Denmark, and similar data from the US and Japan. ) I have performed a yearly survey of practice styles and preferences of Danish cataract surgeons. Like the previous surveys, the present questionnaire asked about the preferred methods, techniques and styles of cataract surgery. Most of the questions were repeated to analyze trends, but since these issues are in continuing evolution, the topics were adjusted to the present state of art, and a few new subjects were added.In order to standardize the title of this year's survey with similar surveys from the US (Leaming 1998) and Japan (Oshika, 1998), the present paper was entitled as the 1997-survey, describing trends of cataract surgery performed in 1997. Material and MethodsFrom the Danish Ophthalmological Society and the Danish Medical Association I received a list of those members of the Danish Ophthalmological Society, who have address in Denmark. These members were sent a questionnaire of 31 multiple choice questions about practice styles and preferences concerning cataract surgery. Only those ophthalmologists who were performing cataract surgery were asked to return the questionnaire. ResultsNinety-one respondents returned the 1997 survey. The previous years, the surveys were returned by 74, 85 and 90 ophthalmologists, respectively.The volume of operations performed by the individual surgeons is shown in Fig. 1. If the mean number of surgeries within the groups is used, it can be calculated that the returned answers represent 28 872 cataract operations per year, distributed with 15 156 surgeries (52%) at public hospitals, 6708 surgeries (23%) in private practices, and 7008 surgeries (24%) by ophthalmologists operating both at public hospitals and in private practice.The exact number of cataract operations performed in Denmark is not known. Cataract patients are operated on in public hospitals and in private practices, paid by public health insurance. In addition, some patients are operated on by public hospital staff and in private practices, paid by themselves. The National Board of Health has recorded the number of cataract operations performed in 1996 at public hospitals to 18 440, and the number of operations performed in private practices, paid by public health insurance, to 2079. If half of the operations performed by public hospital staff operating both at public hospitals and private are covered by public health insurance, and the other half is paid by the patients themselves, the present data represents 18 660 operations at public hospitals, a number very close to the data from the National Board of Health. As only a li...

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

“…In recent years, similar trends of increasing need for cataract surgery, sharp rise of PKE, shorter length of hospitalization and increasing proportion of day surgery have also been demonstrated in other countries 13–15 . In England, Dunn et al suggested that public patients consider waiting time for cataract surgery of 3 months or less as acceptable, and waits exceeding 6 months to be excessive 20 .…”

“…Improving cataract health service delivery is seen as essential to meet the anticipated increased demand for cataract surgery and to limit associated health‐care costs 11 . Patterns of health service delivery for cataract extraction have been evaluated in several countries; 12–15 however, few studies are available for Australia 3,16 . To determine if health service delivery for cataract surgery is improving, we studied trends in cataract surgery at a large Australian ophthalmic hospital.…”