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Analytics and Research Services (ARS) News

Thank you for visiting the ASA Analytics and Research Services (ARS). We hope that the materials on these pages are useful for ASA members and anyone else interested in the field of anesthesia. If you have any questions, feel free to send us an email [email protected].

2021 ANESTHESIA ALMANAC

Download the 2021 Anesthesia Almanac (PDF), a compilation of perioperative data for the United States, that provides well-researched information on:

  • General health care trends, including the impact of COVID-19
  • Surgical volume and anesthesia utilization trends
  • Settings and sites of care
  • Anesthesia workforce characteristics

 

Produced biannually, the Anesthesia Almanac draws from data compiled from sources including:

  • ASA Member Services
  • American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
    • National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES)
    • Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary (PSPS) Files and Provider of Service Files
    • Doctors and Clinicians, National Downloadable File
  • Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project:
    • Nationwide Inpatient Sample
    • State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Databases and State Inpatient Databases
  • National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry (NACOR)
  • National Residency Match Program (NRMP)
  • RAND Corporation

Peer-Reviewed Publications Co-Authored by ASA ARS
ASA ARS has co-authored 7 articles recently accepted or published in influential journals:

  1. Assessing the impact of state "opt-out" policy on access to and costs of surgeries and other procedures requiring anesthesia services (published in December 2017 issue of Health Economics Review)
  2. "Opt out" and access to anesthesia care for elective and urgent surgeries among U.S. Medicare beneficiaries  (published in March 2017 issue of Anesthesiology)
  3. Cost impact of unexpected disposition after orthopedic ambulatory surgery associated with category of anesthesia provider (published in December 2016 issue of the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia)
  4. The effect of "opt-out" regulation on access to surgical care for urgent cases in the United States: Evidence from the National Inpatient Sample (published in June 2016 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia)
  5. In the United States, "Opt-out" states show no increase in access to anesthesia services for Medicare beneficiaries compared to non-"opt-out" states (published in May 2016 issue of A&A Case Reports)
  6. Anesthesiologists are affiliated with many hospitals only reporting anesthesia claims using Modifier QZ for Medicare claims in 2013 (published in April 2016 issue of A&A Case Reports)
  7. No significant association between anesthesia group concentration and private insurer payments in the United States (published in September 2015 issue of Anesthesiology)
 
ARS Background, Mission, and Goals

ASA established a Department of Health Policy Research (HPR) on August 27, 2012. An 18-member physician advisory group, which included 5 members of the Administrative Council, met regularly via conference call to discuss progress on the implementation of the HPR initiative (ASA Strategy 1.5), including key issues, priority of specific action items, and potential new opportunities. HPR was renamed to Analytics and Research Services (ARS) on November 17, 2016 to better reflect its mission and goals.

The mission of ASA ARS (draft statement) is to review, support and conduct analyses and research which provide insights to ASA and its members for the advancement of the specialty of anesthesiology.

To achieve its mission, ARS established the following three major goals (also draft, not yet official):

  • Conduct analyses and research to define the value of physician anesthesiologists and anesthesia subspecialties and to identify ways to advance the practice of anesthesiology throughout the continuum of care.
  • Conduct research as requested by ASA leadership to support the ASA strategic goals and needs of ASA committees and departments.
  • Collaborate with other physician and health care organizations in research and analytics that advance the role of anesthesiologists.

ARS has identified numerous action items and several are underway within each goal. A summary of selected key projects and initiatives is provided here (ASA Members only).

View useful resources related to health services and health policy research, including material developed by ARS.