Academic Background

Quality Indicators
The development of the Outcomes Monitoring System for Ambulatory Surgery has a firm academic background. It started in June 1996 in the Williamson Institute for Health Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA. The pilot data files opened on the Internet in December 1996, and the initial members web site opened in May 1997.

The system indicators are based on a study undertaken by the Illinois Hospital & HealthSystems Association which was funded by the RWJ Foundation. Though originally designed for the acute care setting, the indicators have been adapted and enhanced to serve the ambulatory surgery setting.

This development was partially funded by an unrestricted grant from Pfizer, Inc.
The Outcomes Monitoring System for Ambulatory Surgery was supported methodologically by the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (AAASC) through a pilot study undertaken at a number of AAASC member centers. The prototype testing results showed the importance and usefulness of the system for comparing surgical outcomes across surgery centers and the possibility to serve as a tool for accreditation of ambulatory surgery centers.