As some of you may know, and in fact may be a part of, the British Spine Registry (BSR) was set up a few years ago by the British Association of Spinal Surgeons. The purpose of the registry is to monitor all spinal procedures and collect data with the aim to improve patient safety and monitor the results of spinal surgery. This will allow better understanding of procedures and techniques in the future and therefore improve patient’s experience and quality of life.
Following on from our lead, the The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have just announced the launch of the American Spine Registry (ASR). Like the BSR, our American colleagues hope that the ASR will transform the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) Spine registry, currently the nation’s largest spine registry, into a more far-reaching program that facilitates the participation of all North American spine surgeons in a shared, quality data-collection platform.
Collating data on procedures and outcomes in this form provides unparalleled information and will not improve treatments but also patients lives.