Realising the vision of value-based healthcare in cataract surgery

Value-based healthcare (VBHC) is gaining traction across the industry for its potential to improve patient care by standardising clinical and patient outcomes. Erin McEachren and Syed Rashid of Johnson & Johnson Vision describe why cataract surgery is well-positioned for the VBHC model, and how strategic partnerships can help build datasets and practices that improve transparency and outcomes for vision patients.

Cataract operations are one of the most common surgeries, with about ten million performed around the world each year. The procedure, in which a surgeon replaces a cloudy lens in the eye with an artificial one to improve a person’s sight, is widely considered safe and effective. But there’s a high degree of variability in patients’ outcomes following the procedure, and some patients may benefit from it more than others.

In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) found that cataract surgery may not improve vision for a particular subgroup of patients. In addition, many people go without the cataract care they need; the World Health Organization estimates that the cost of addressing current global gaps in necessary cataract procedures sits at around $8.8 billion USD.

VBHC, a method of improving patient care by reducing variability in outcomes, presents a unique opportunity in cataract care.

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