Time parameters for glaucoma procedures.

Abstract

Changes in physician reimbursement and the practice environment have emphasized the importance of determining physician time for procedures and services. Forty-five percent of the members of the American Glaucoma Society responded to a mail survey of estimates of the length of time and number of visits for the preoperative, operative, and 90-day postoperative care for six common glaucoma procedures. Results suggest a significant underestimation of time for trabeculectomies exists in the original and new resource-based relative value scale work values. Further, 47% to 53% of surgeons hospitalize patients on at least the first postoperative day. There were no apparent time efficiencies between "high-" and "low-volume" respondents. Thus, careful attention should be paid to the accuracy of certain time estimates and the resulting work values in the resource-based relative value scale. Additional work in this and other areas may prove illuminating.