Ophthalmic surgical cancellation reasons differ between county hospitals and academic centers
Ophthalmic surgical cancellations at county hospitals appear to significantly differ from academic centers, according to a 10-year comprehensive study. The most prevalent reason for cancellations in the county hospital was institution-related, in contrast to academic settings where other factors typically dominate.
The research, an open cohort study, scrutinized 11,350 scheduled surgeries at the county hospital between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021. Surgical cancellation reasons were classified into 8 distinct groups for comprehensive analyses. Calculation of cancellation rates was conducted annually and across subspecialties.
The predominant reason for cancellations over the 10-year period at the county hospital was institution-related, diverging from findings in academic centers. Institution-related cancellations accounted for 1065 surgeries, maintaining their dominance from 2012 to 2019, fluctuating between 37.4% and 60.6%. However, a notable shift occurred in 2020, coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, where COVID-related rescheduling took precedence. In 2021, cancellations were predominantly patient-driven.
The year 2020 exhibited a significant spike in cancellation rates, attributed to the pandemic and stay-at-home mandates, marking a 9.27% increase compared to 2019. There was a drop of 22.8% in cancellation rates in 2021 compared to 2020, emphasizing the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical schedules.
Pediatric surgery emerged with the highest overall cancellation rate at 36.4%, underlining the distinctive challenges faced in this subspecialty. In 2020, oculoplastics experienced the highest cancellation rate at 48.9%, reflecting the specialty’s vulnerability during the pandemic.
Reference
Yu G, Michalak S, Mishra K, et al. Trends of Ophthalmic Surgery Cancellations at a County Hospital Before and During COVID-19: A 10-Year Retrospective Study. Semin Ophthalmol. 2023;1-7. doi: 10.1080/08820538.2023.2293032. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38073109.
