The CatLab is focused on identifying and reducing low-value care, especially instances of perioperative healthcare overutilization that may not be of benefit and can cause potential harm to surgical patients. We employ large datasets, such as Medicare claims and the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, as well as interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations to conduct our research.Dr. Catherine L. Chen, MD, MPH is the principal investigator (PI) of the CatLab. Dr. Chen is an Associate Professor in the UCSF Department of Anesthesia and a Core Faculty at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF. She has published first-author publications in the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA Ophthalmology, and her studies have highlighted the increased risk of delayed surgery and falls associated with the overuse of routine preoperative testing in cataract surgery patients as well as the unintended consequences of inappropriate opioid prescription.The CatLab is currently studying the use of monitored anesthesia for cataract surgery, with a focus on improving the perioperative care of older adults and the resource utilization of healthcare systems. Preliminary data has been published in JAMA Internal Medicine, informing current and future studies. Projects Perioperative Opioid Stewardship We are using various datasets including the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, which represents commercial claims from over 200 million covered lives, and the MPOG registry, to study various aspects of perioperative care, including opioid prescribing patterns and its impact on surgical patients and their family members. Other areas of interest Diversity in the Perioperative Workforce Impact of COVID on Perioperative Outcomes Perioperative Sustainability
