Healthcare Insights

20 most common surgical procedures at long term care facilities

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) cater to an aging population, often with complex medical needs. While major surgeries are usually performed in hospitals, LTCFs address surgical needs with a focus on minimally invasive procedures and faster recovery times. Long-term care centers include assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health care, hospice care, and more.

Using healthcare commercial intelligence from the Atlas All-Payor Claims dataset, we’ve ranked the most common surgical procedures performed at long-term care facilities in 2023.

Top 20 most common surgical procedures in long-term care facilities

Rank HCPCS/CPT Code HCPCS Description % Total Procedures Explore dataset
11721 Debride nail 6 or more 19.50% Explore
11042 DBRDMT SUBQ TIS 1ST 20SQCM/< 17.60% Explore
11043 DBRDMT MUSC&/FSCA 1ST 20/< 11.50% Explore
11720 Debride nail 1-5 10.20% Explore
36415 ROUTINE VENIPUNCTURE 4.90% Explore
17250 Chem caut of granltj tissue 4.70% Explore
11056 PARNG/CUTG B9 HYPRKR LES 2-4 4.10% Explore
11055 PARING/CUTG B9 HYPRKER LES 1 3.20% Explore
11046 DBRDMT MUSC&/FSCA EA ADDL 2.10% Explore
10 11719 Trim nail(s) any number 2.10% Explore
11 11045 DBRDMT SUBQ TISS EACH ADDL 2.00% Explore
12 11044 DBRDMT BONE 1ST 20 SQ CM/< 1.50% Explore
13 69210 REMOVE IMPACTED EAR WAX UNI 1.30% Explore
14 51798 US URINE CAPACITY MEASURE 0.50% Explore
15 20610 Drain/inj joint/bursa w/o us 0.50% Explore
16 11047 DBRDMT BONE EACH ADDL 0.40% Explore
17 36416 COLLJ CAPILLARY BLOOD SPEC 0.40% Explore
18 11057 PARNG/CUTG B9 HYPRKR LES >4 0.40% Explore
19 11730 Removal of nail plate 0.40% Explore
20 31231 NASAL ENDOSCOPY DX 0.40% Explore

Fig. 1 Data is from our Atlas All-Payor Claims dataset and represents the percentage of total surgical procedures performed in 2023 through December. Data accessed March 2024.

What surgeries are performed most frequently at long-term care facilities?

CPT code 11721 tops our list as the most common surgical procedure performed at a long-term care facility in 2023, representing 19.5% of all surgery procedure claims. In fact, eight of the most common procedures performed in 2023 on our list are wound debridement, including CPT codes ranging from 11042 – 11047. Wound debridement involves removing dead or damaged tissue from a wound to promote healing and prevent infection.

Besides wound debridement, another common surgical procedure performed in long-term care facilities is CPT code 36415, or routine venipuncture. This procedure involves drawing blood from a patient for laboratory testing. CPT code 36415 represents 4.9% of all procedures performed in 2023.

Three codes on our list fall under the category of paring or cutting procedures on the skin—CPT codes 11056, 11055, and 11057. All three codes deal with the removal of hyperkeratotic lesions, which are commonly known as corns and calluses. Each code differs based on the number of lesions treated.

How this data can help your marketing and sales efforts

Companies can use our LongTermCareView product and Atlas All-Payor Claims dataset to gain a much deeper understanding of the long-term care facilities in the regions they’re targeting—and even find new expansion opportunities. With access to in-depth facility profiles and diagnosis and procedure claims data, companies can identify the LTCFs most likely to require their products or services. This allows for more targeted marketing campaigns and tailored sales conversations.

With a clear idea of what surgical procedures are most performed and what solutions competitors are offering, medical device companies can also refine product and service offerings to more strategically position themselves within the market. Wound debridement, being one of the most common surgical procedures, highlights a need for pre-and post-operative care solutions that medical device companies could better help address with this intelligence.

For more tips and best practices, read our guide on how to market to long-term care centers or watch our webinar on selling to long-term care facilities.

What is the most common surgery for the elderly?

According to news reported by Becker’s Hospital Review and a study that surveyed adults 50- to 80 years old, the five most common elective surgical procedures considered are:

  1. Major joint surgery
  2. Eye surgery
  3. Abdominal surgery
  4. Cosmetic surgery
  5. Foot or leg surgery

Learn more

Healthcare Insights are developed with healthcare commercial intelligence from the Definitive Healthcare platform. Want even more insights on surgical procedures? Check out our lists for the top inpatient and outpatient surgeries and the most common surgeries performed at ambulatory surgery centers. Or start a free trial now and get access to the latest healthcare commercial intelligence on hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers.