1 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
In cataract surgery, the own vs.
buy equation is volume-depen-
dent. We do 450 to 600 cases per
year, not nearly enough to justify
owning our own cataract surgery
equipment. To illustrate that point,
here's a breakdown of the prohibi-
tive $649.44 in per-case costs we'd incur if we outfitted and staffed
cataracts on our own. Don't forget hidden costs: supply storage,
staffing to maintain inventory and staffing to set up cases. The line
between profit and loss is much finer with cataract surgery than it
is with other procedures. It's simply more difficult to maintain a
healthy net revenue with cataracts. — Sheila Boland, BSN, RN
Per-Case Costs of Cataracts
Phaco machine $111
Microscope $55
Preventative maintenance $22
Surgical pack $75
Additional supplies $20
Phaco tubing $110
Intraocular lens implant $150
Additional tech to run machine $30
Equipment storage $60
Staffing to maintain inventory $10
Staff to set up each day $6.44
Per-case total $649.44
Each Cataract Case Would Cost Us $649.44
COST OF OWNERSHIP
