Avoiding Unnecessary Preoperative Testing

Given the low-risk nature of cataract surgery, no preoperative testing is indicated unless the patient needs it for another reason. Although electrocardiograms may have a role in preoperative testing in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease, or if the procedure carries with it significant operative risks, they are often unnecessary. Urinalysis and coagulation studies should not be routine because they have not shown any value in predicting complications. Although these tests are not individually expensive, the aggregate cost is substantial. As good stewards of the medical system, physicians need to use these tests more judiciously.