VIDEO: Outpatient hysterectomies offer advantages for surgeons, patients

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. – Moving hysterectomy and advanced gynecologic procedures to the ambulatory surgical environment is better for patients, surgeons, and the health care system, Richard B. Rosenfield, MD, who is in private practice in Portland, Ore., said at the AAGL Global Congress.

“We’ve been basically proving this model over the last decade by performing advanced laparoscopic surgery in the outpatient environment, and we do this for a number of reasons,” Dr. Rosenfield said in an interview. “The patients get to go home the same day, which they typically enjoy, we avoid the hospital-acquired infections, which is great, and in addition to that, the physicians tend to really appreciate the efficiency of an outpatient center.”

But with the focus on value-based payment under federal health programs, there should also be a greater focus on getting more high-volume surgeons to perform their procedures, he said. The idea is to lower the hospital readmissions, complications, and infections that could arise during procedures by less experienced surgeons and redirect the cost savings toward payments for surgeons with better outcomes, Dr. Rosenfield said. But this should be coupled with training and mentoring for lower-volume surgeons, he said.

Dr. Rosenfield reported having no relevant financial disclosures.

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