About Closed Claims Program

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the University of Washington at Seattle started the Anesthesia Closed Claims Program in 1984 to analyze closed malpractice claims and trends in anesthesia-related patient safety topics. Starting in 2019, the Program came under the auspices of the Anesthesia Quality Institute.

The Anesthesia Closed Claims Program’s goal is to identify anesthesia-related major safety concerns, patterns of injury and prevention strategies in areas where anesthesiologists provide care. To achieve this goal, ASA member anesthesiologists collect both quantitative and qualitative data to identify a sequence of events concluding in a narrative summary of care from malpractice insurance companies. The evaluated claims can be classified as rare and/or serious events. Analyzed data can be used in publications, presentations and/or research studies.

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If you have any questions about participating, data use, or any other topic about the Closed Claims Program, please email us closedclaims@asahq.org