How standardized is sequential care?: the case of cataract surgery

Standardization promises to render medicine more accessible and cost-effective but if used wrongly it may induce the opposite effect. This study aims at investigating current levels of standardization within hospitals for treatments holding high promise for standardization. We examine to what extent cataract treatment is standardized. In total 158 cataract operations of nine ophthalmologists were observed. Additional information was gathered by means of walkthroughs, structured interviews, visual material and interviews. Our multi-source data comprises measurements at patient, organizational and operational level. Cataract surgery fits standardization and operates accordingly. However, special cause variation was detected leading to differences in operational efficiency.