Reflection on the First Year of the American Spine Registry (ASR)

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The last year has been one of drastic changes for everyone, both in health care and out, as we have faced a pandemic and social upheaval none of us could have predicted. However, it was also a landmark year for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the NeuroPoint Alliance (NPA), because of bold new initiatives taken to advance outcomes science in neurosurgery.

In January of 2020, the American Spine Registry (ASR) broke new ground in registry initiatives. The registry, an equal collaboration between the AANS and the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), laid the groundwork for this essential cross-specialty initiative.

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The ASR’s partnership with the Joint Commission demonstrates the real power of this collaboration across specialties. The Joint Commission has recognized the ASR as the only qualifying registry to achieve an Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery. As an equal partner of the ASR, neurosurgery is in position to inform the quality measures central to the Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery the Joint Commission is creating. Case reporting requirements in ASR for the advanced certification make it a vital tool for the ongoing certification of advanced spine care.

The new certification program, available July 1, 2021, will help health care organizations develop consistent communication and collaboration among all health care providers involved in the care of the patient – from the pre-surgical consultation with a spine surgeon to the procedure, the rehabilitation and the follow-up visit with the surgeon. The announcement has already demonstrated an increased interest in ASR participation.

The certificate will offer a relevant, prescriptive approach, standard performance measures and will encompass the entire continuum of care.

“The AANS has a long history of successfully working with partners to magnify its message. The Washington Committee has found its greatest success for neurosurgery through successful coalitions. While neurosurgery is a small specialty, its voice – amplified by the right alliances – gets the message across and gets the results that best serve the specialty and its patients.”

Michael Steinmetz, MD, FAANS
Vice Chair of the Neurosurgery Quality Council and Chair of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves

 

 

“Working with the right partners allows neurosurgery to advocate for our patients on a larger platform. This makes sure our perspective is heard and our goals are realized. A recent initiative, the Surgical Care Coalition, was a collaboration by 12 surgical professional associations and represented more than 150,000 surgeons working across the country. The coalition had a common goal of improving the quality of care and quality of life for all patients. Working in concert, an outside organization was hired to do interviews, create messaging, develop a media plan and bring the message that Medicare changes should not be allowed to limit access to necessary surgical procedures and high-quality care for all patients.”

 John Kevin Ratliff, MD, FAANS
Chair of the Washington Committee

 

“AANS’ partnership in ASR similarly magnifies the voice of neurosurgery across all spine care. The growth and impact that ASR promises is already being felt across the care continuum. Neurosurgery is working with regulatory agencies to further the advance of spine care in a way that no single specialty would have been able to do alone. The ASR is an example of the promising future our growing registry portfolio presents for the opportunity for neurosurgeons and the patients we serve.”

John J. Knightly, MD, FAANS
Chair of the NPA

 

 

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