Time Savings Using a Digital Workflow versus a Conventional for Intraocular Lens Implantation in a Corporate Chain Hospital Setting

Felix Rombold, Christoph Niederdellmann, Riccardo Pariti, Bader Khayat Suedblick Eye Clinics, Augsburg-Munich, GermanyCorrespondence: Felix Rombold, Suedblick Eye Clinics, Willy-Brandt-Platz 3, Augsburg, 86153, Germany, Tel +49 821 80903554, Fax +49 821 80903590, Email felix.rombold@suedblick.dePurpose: To evaluate and compare the digital cataract workflow with the existing conventional workflow in terms of time savings for overall diagnostic procedures from preoperative measurements, data transfer, intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation, and axis marking for cataract surgery in a corporate hospital chain setting.Patients and Methods: This prospective non-clinical study assessed the mean procedural times for preoperative assessments, calculation of IOL power, data transfer to operating devices, and total surgery for both digital and existing conventional workflows.Results: Overall, 430 workflows (digital cataract workflow: 227; existing conventional workflow: 203) were included for time measurements. The digital cataract workflow resulted in shorter mean (± standard deviation [SD]) preoperative assessments with lesser variability among individual assessments than the existing workflow (14.15 ± 1.86 vs 21.41 ± 1.18 min, respectively); with a time saving of 35%. Similarly, the mean (± SD) time required for the subsequent assessment steps such as IOL calculation (2.19 ± 1.23 vs 3.17± 2.29 min; 30%), data transfer (0 vs 1.33 ± 0.25 min; 100%), IOL axis marking and alignment (0 vs 3.07 ± 0.53 min; 100%) were shorter with digital cataract workflow versus existing conventional cataract workflow. Briefly, the overall mean time from preoperative assessments to final surgery was 16.48 min with digital cataract workflow and 30.58 min with existing conventional workflow; resulting in a time saving of 46%.Conclusion: The Zeiss digital cataract workflow demonstrated greater time savings at each step of the cataract surgery workflow compared to the existing conventional workflow. In addition, digitalization can lead to a more streamlined cataract surgery workflow that is more convenient and cost-effective than the existing conventional practices in a corporate chain hospital setting.Keywords: biometry, cataract surgery, cataract surgery workflow, digitalization, efficiency