BLOG: Aging baby boomer population will create urgent need for hospital, ASC alternatives
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From a cultural standpoint, the generation known as baby boomers has had a tremendous impact on society.
As the first generation to grow up watching television, they are sometimes called the first “consumer generation,” with an estimated $2.6 trillion in buying power today. Boomers also represent a large segment of our population, between the ages of 55 and 75 years, creating a significant and growing demand for medical services. And this growing demand will further strain the capacity of the operating rooms currently available.
The number of cataract surgeries performed in the U.S. this year will likely number around 4 million. Ten years from now, when the entire baby boom generation will be age 65 or older, it is projected that just under 40 million Americans will have some form of cataracts — nearly double the number from 10 years ago. In addition, we are seeing an increase in self-pay procedures such as refractive lens exchange or ICLs, which will result in an even greater need for ORs.
The move toward performing ophthalmologic procedures in ASCs instead of hospitals has helped address the growing demand for ORs, but as we look toward the future, it’s not the answer. Why not? In addition to the expected increase in ophthalmologic surgeries, there are other procedures creating more and more demand for ASC surgical suite availability. For example, the number of hip and knee joint replacement surgeries performed in an outpatient setting is expected to grow from approximately 1.1 million today to around 1.9 million by 2026. This increasing demand for ASC block time will make it even more difficult for ophthalmologists to schedule eye surgeries.
What is the solution? Just as a shift took place from in-patient hospital-based surgery to ASCs, a move to office-based surgery (OBS) can address the shortage of operating rooms and become the future standard for ophthalmic surgery for relatively low-risk patients. OBS suites, which can be surprisingly cost-effective for practices to establish within their existing office space, follow the same safety standards as ASCs and hospitals, are regulated in all 50 states, and operate under the physician’s license governed by the individual state board of medicine using either Class A (oral sedation, eg, valium) or Class B (monitored) anesthesia. What’s more, patient out-of-pocket fees for procedures performed in an OBS can be lower than those performed in an ASC or hospital, making these ophthalmic procedures much more accessible to a wider swath of boomers.
So, as the 73 million baby boomers will continue to put a strain on the medical system, office-based surgery suites can offer a real solution now and for the future.
References:
Cataract data and statistics. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/eye-health-data-and-statistics/cataract-data-and-statistics.
Outpatient joint replacement: An unnecessary concern or market reality? https://newsroom.vizientinc.com/outpatient-joint-replacement-an-unnecessary-concern-or-market-reality.htm.
Over 3.8 million cataract surgeries performed every year. https://idataresearch.com/over-3-8-million-cataract-surgeries-performed-every-year/.
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