Description of Lancet Commission global surgical indicators
| Global surgical indicator | Description |
| Indicator 1: access to timely essential surgery | Percentage of the population who can access, within 2 hours, a facility capable of performing the bellwether procedures (caesarean section, laparotomy and open fracture management) |
| Indicator 2: surgical, anaesthesia and obstetric density | Number of physician proceduralist in surgery, anaesthetics or obstetrics per 100 000 population |
| Indicator 3: surgical volume | Total number of surgical cases per 100 000 population |
| Indicator 4: perioperative mortality rate | Deaths occurring after any surgical procedure and before discharge from hospital (%) |
| Indicator 5: risk of catastrophic expenditure due to need for surgical care | Direct out-of-pocket costs from surgical care exceeding 10% of total income or 40% of remaining income after food and housing are accounted for |
| Indicator 6: risk of impoverishment due to need for surgical care | Direct out-of-pocket costs from need for surgical care resulting in falling below poverty line of US$1.25/day. |