Accreditation or No Accreditation – That Is the Question

Every year, approximately 50 million anesthetics are performed in the U.S., and an increasing number of these anesthetics include ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks. Although it is difficult to estimate the exact number of these blocks performed on a yearly basis, every anesthesiologist recognizes their value as an integral part of our practice. Led by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) and the European Society of Regional Anesthesia (ESRA), education and practice guidelines have been developed to enable skilled practitioners to perform specialized procedures with efficiency, accuracy and remarkable dexterity. Additionally, these organizations have been instrumental in providing guidelines on recommendations pertaining to the initial implementation of an ultrasound-guided practice for regional anesthesia that includes the methodology for proper billing of these procedures. These guidelines enumerate for anesthesiologists who may not be trained in regional anesthesia the requisites for appropriate billing: 1) a documented surgical request (or...