Time motion study in the preoperative phase of cataract surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To identify opportunities of shortening surgical deferral with a time-motion study, in the preoperative phase of cataract surgery.

METHODS

Non-clinical, prospective, cross-sectional and analytical time-motion study; a group of experts estimated minimal, usual and maximal durations for twelve activities in the preoperative phase of cataract surgery. We used a beta distribution to estimate the dispersion of each activity's duration, as well as the mean time by activity and for the entire preoperative sequence, from initial ophthalmic evaluation to surgery.

RESULTS

Mean preoperative time in cataract surgery was 269 days; the activity with larger dispersions were the time between receiving surgical inputs and surgery; preoperative risk evaluations and studies accounted for 40.9% of the time, and ophthalmic preoperative studies consumed 17.4%.

CONCLUSIONS

Shortening the length of preoperative evaluations by having an easier access to diagnostic studies, might reduce by 60% the duration of the preoperative phase of cataract surgery.