acute and chronic pain),
• quality of life (return to activities), and
• patient satisfaction.
We have a better chance of achieving high value when we look at all
of those goals together than we do if we look at them individually. To
do that, we need to collect data through the entire cycle of care and
determine what factors in the process matter. As you collect data, you
learn from it. Over time, analytics can help you identify patterns relat-
ed to sub-populations.
There may, for example, be patient factors, such as BMI or medi-
cines patients are taking. There may be environmental factors: Was
the repair done in an outpatient setting or inpatient setting? What
techniques were used? Mesh plays a role for some sub-populations.
The local environment, which includes the surgeon's training, educa-
tion and other preferences, is also a factor. If I'm going to be operat-
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M A Y 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T
z PROBLEM OR NOT? For a sub-population of patients, mesh can contribute to
chronic severe pain. One goal is to be able to identify those patients ahead of time.
