Here are eight clinical findings from an AAAHC Institute for Quality Improvement 2011 study on low back injection. Forty-five organizations that perform a combined total of more than 55,000 low back injections annually participated in the study.
Procedure times
1. Median pre-procedure time was 60 minutes (range 9-160). Organizations with the shortest times attributed their results to factors such as preparation prior to the day of the procedure and physician involvement in patient flow.
2. Average procedure times ranged from 3-14 minutes (median 7).
3. Median discharge time was 27 minutes (range 7-63). Organizations with the shortest times attributed their results to avoiding sedation and pre-procedure patient education.
Patient outcomes
4. 95 percent said they were able to schedule the procedure within a reasonable period of time.
5. 98 percent said they had an adequate understanding of the procedure.
6. 82 percent reported that they were performing their usual daily activities.
7. 76 percent reported their pain had improved.
8. 50 percent had reduced their pain medications.
To learn more about these studies and other ambulatory healthcare reports from the AAAHC Institute, visit www.aaahciqi.org.
More Articles Featuring the AAAHC Institute:
8 Clinical Findings on Colonoscopy From AAAHC Institute
10 Clinical Findings on Cataract Extraction With Lens Insertion From AAAHC Institute
ASC Benchmarking (Part I): Why Does the AAAHC Require Participation in External Benchmarking?
ASC Benchmarking (Part II): Why is Benchmarking So Hard and What Can You Do to Overcome Obstacles?