1. Surgeons are speedy. The center has six partners and a total of nine to 10 users whose procedures take 10-12 minutes on average. Some surgeons perform cases in just seven minutes.
2. Surgeons agree on process. Achieving agreement among eye surgeons on standardized processes greatly adds to efficiency. “We have streamlined the process,” Mr. Calta says. “We worked with each physician and they have agreed on basically the same kind of process.”
3. Sublingual anesthesia used. Instead of giving patients anesthesia through an IV for relaxation, CRNAs at the center administer deliver it under the tongue, which is easier to administer and does not have the side effects of general anesthesia. But in some cases a block is needed. Topical anesthesia is then delivered in drops for the eye.
4. Patients put in carts. Instead of walking to the OR, this mostly elderly patient population is put into surgery carts in the pre-op area and are wheeled into the OR, speeding up patient flow.
5. Scrub techs have complementary duties. We have two scrub techs, one working on the case, the other sterilizing instruments so they are ready for the next case.
6. Full inventory of lenses available. Nothing has to delivered at the last minute. Use of premium IOLs has been steadily growing, from about 12-18 percent a few years ago to about 25 percent now.
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