The study compared pediatric ACL reconstructions performed in the hospital and outpatient surgery centers at a single institution. There were 49 surgeries performed for healthy athletes and 28 were in the outpatient surgery center; 21 surgeries were in the hospital OR. The surgeries were performed from 2009 to 2014.
The study authors found:
1. The outpatient surgery center was more efficient, improving OR time by 30 minutes over the inpatient procedures.
2. Fewer staff members were involved in the outpatient surgery center cases than the inpatient cases. There were six more surgical technician changes and 2.5 times more nursing changes in the hospital OR than in the outpatient surgery center.
3. There was greater procedural efficiency in the outpatient surgery center.
4. The outpatient surgery center had shorter wait times before surgery, with surgery more likely to begin on time and the outpatient surgery center was able to accommodate add-on procedures more easily.
5. The study authors concluded, “Procedural efficiency was greater at the [outpatient surgery center] compared with the hospital OR. The provision of consistent and experienced orthopedic-specific teams allows for improvement in OR efficiency, cost and value.”
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