Objective: To study the efficiency of an ambulatory surgery center located at a university public hospital we studied the number of surgical interventions performed and suspensions and their causes.
Methods: We collected data on the number of surgical interventions performed, suspension and causes of suspension from January to December of 1992 of the ambulatory surgery center of the Clinical Hospital of University of Campinas, UNICAMP, in São Paulo. A comparison of performance of the Ophthalmology Department and the other medical specialties were made.
Results: Of the 6,574 surgical interventions booked 4,938 (75.11%) were performed and 1,636 (24.88%) suspended. Of the 4,938 surgical interventions 2,514 (51%) were performed by the Ophthalmology Department and 2,423 (49%) by other 11 medical specialties. The main causes of suspension of eye operations were unfavorable clinical condition (46.38%), absence of the patient (32.71%) and administrative problems (8.44%). CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS: The Ophthalmology Department has 40% of the space available at the facility and did 51% of the interventions. A better control and planning of the surgical operations may increase the number of interventions and performance of the ambulatory surgery center. It is important for the optimization of the available resources to introduce a periodic control of surgical interventions done, suspension and their causes.