Anesthesia Quality Institute Receives ASAE Honors for
The National Anesthesia Outcomes Registry
The Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI) has earned a 2015 ASAE Power of A Silver Award for its
National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry (NACOR), a patient safety initiative in which
American Society of Anesthesiologists members compare their clinical outcomes with other
physician anesthesiologists across the country.
NACOR operates by collecting existing electronic data from the anesthesia practice’s routine
documentation of clinical operations, procedures and outcomes. AQI also developed and
maintains the Anesthesia Incident Reporting System (AIRS), to enable collection of detailed case
reports of unusual and serious adverse events before, during and after surgery.
“Congratulations to AQI for helping make the world a better place,” said Hugh “Mac” Cannon,
MPA, CAE, Executive Director of ACEC of Metropolitan Washington, and chair of the Power of A
Awards Judging Committee. “Their story exemplifies how associations make a difference every
day – not just to the industry or profession they represent, but to society at large.”
AIRS has collected more than 1,400 cases and has developed four specialty modules: respiratory
depression, drug shortage, obstetrics and pediatrics. AQI uses these reports as teaching
exercises in the ASA Newsletter, reaching more than 52,000 anesthesia providers nationwide.
Articles focus on emerging hazards of anesthesia and surgical care, the interface of patient care
with electronic health care records, and external threats to patient safety. AQI received federal
designation as a Patient Safety Organization in 2011, and certification as a Qualified Clinical Data
Registry – one of the first in this new program – in 2014. AQI is a charter participant in the
National Quality Registry Network, and is leading the way in the use of electronic health care
information to benchmark the quality and value of medical care at the national level. In 2015,
AQI anticipates reporting on behalf of two dozen pioneering groups who will be testing the
QCDR approach. The AQI will be hosting a QCDR measures summit in early fall 2015 to
harmonize measures across our specialty.
“We’re committed to delivering the safe medical care every patient deserves,” said (TBD of
AQI). “AQI arms the medical community with powerful information that can lead to more
informed decisions, and ultimately better outcomes. With the end goal of improved patient
safety, we are well on its way to making anesthesia care safer than ever.”
ASAE’s Power of A (association) Awards, the industry’s highest honor, recognize the association
community’s valuable contributions on the local, national and global level. The Power of A
Awards reward outstanding accomplishments of associations and industry professionals for
their efforts to enrich lives, create a competitive workforce, prepare society for the future, drive
innovation and make a better world.