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Research Article: Impact of practicing internal benchmarking on continuous improvement of cataract surgery outcomes: a retrospective observational study at Aravind Eye Hospitals, India

Date Published: 2023-06-22

Abstract:
Objective We aim to assess the effectiveness of a cataract surgery outcome monitoring tool used for continuous quality improvement. The objectives are to study: (1) the quality parameters, (2) the monitoring process followed and (3) the impact on outcomes. Design and procedures In this retrospective observational study we evaluated a quality improvement (QI) method which has been practiced at the focal institution since 2012: internal benchmarking of cataract surgery outcomes (CATQA). We evaluated quality parameters, procedures followed and clinical outcomes. We created tables and line charts to examine trends in key outcomes. Setting Aravind Eye Care System, India. Participants Phacoemulsification surgeries performed on 718?120 eyes at 10 centres (five tertiary and five secondary eye centres) from 2012 to 2020 were included. Interventions An internal benchmarking of surgery outcome parameters, to assess variations among the hospitals and compare with the best hospital. Outcome measures Intraoperative complications, unaided visual acuity (VA) at postoperative follow-up visit and residual postoperative refractive error (within ±0.5D). Results Over the study period the intraoperative complication rate decreased from 1.2% to 0.6%, surgeries with uncorrected VA of 6/12 or better increased from 80.8% to 89.8%, and surgeries with postoperative refractive error within ±0.5D increased from 76.3% to 87.3%. Variability in outcome measures across hospitals declined. Additionally, benchmarking was associated with improvements in facilities, protocols and processes. Conclusion Internal benchmarking was found to be an effective QI method that enabled the practice of evidence-based management and allowed for harnessing the available information. Continuous improvement in clinical outcomes requires systematic and regular review of results, identifying gaps between hospitals, comparisons with the best hospital and implementing lessons learnt from peers.

Introduction:
Quality healthcare increases the likelihood of desirable health outcomes. High quality of healthcare services is essential to create trust 1 and increase demand. 2 3 Delivering quality healthcare services is also important for Universal Health Coverage. 1 Further, intensifying competition in healthcare markets 4 is increasing pressure on providers to deliver high quality, cost-effective and patient-centred care. 5 In the context of eye health, cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world, accounting for…

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