APSF sponsored the third annual Resident Quality Improvement (RQI) Program. All U.S. and Canadian physician anesthesiology programs were invited to submit a four-minute video showcasing their best quality-improvement and patient-safety projects. All projects were evaluated in a standardized manner. APSF received a 50% increase in submissions from 2016. Additionally, project quality was consistently high. The winners were announced at the 2017 ASA Annual Meeting in Boston, MA. APSF acknowledges all residency programs who participated in the 2017 program.

The winning 2017 RQI project was submitted by Drs. S. Yalamuri and M. Plakke from Duke University Hospital. Their patient-safety video entitled “The Duke ICU Transition to OR (DITTO) Checklist,” depicted a newly developed safety checklist improving transfer between the intensive care unit and operating suites. In addition to promoting safe transfers, the checklist reduced transfer time.

The APSF RQI Committee determined a tie for second place between the University of Florida (Gainesville) and Massachusetts General Hospital participants. Dr. C. Sotillo (University of Florida, Gainesville) submitted a video entitled “Reducing Pharmaceutical (Propofol) Waste Quality Improvement Project.” In her submission, Dr. Sotillo analyzed and sought to improve current perioperative medication preparation/utilization practices. Dr. D. Bartels (Massachusetts General Hospital) submitted a video entitled “Improving Patient Care with Better Transitions of Care.” In this project, Dr. Bartels reviewed current transition of care processes and identified/implemented improvements at her institution.

In 2018, the APSF Committee on Education and Training will develop three parallel tracks for the quality improvement program. These tracks will include physician anesthesiology residency, nurse anesthesia, and anesthesiology assistant training programs. All anesthesiology training programs will be invited to demonstrate their program’s work in patient safety and quality improvement (QI) initiatives. Over the next several months, links to the 2017 winning videos and announcement details for the 2018 QI Program will be available on the APSF website.

Dr. van Pelt is the APSF Chair, Education and Training Committee and an Executive Committee and Board of Directors member.

Dr. Cammarata is Partner and Director of Quality Assurance at Old Pueblo Anesthesia in Tucson, AZ. He serves on the APSF Committee on Education and Training.

Dr. Markan is Vice Chair of Patient Safety and Quality at Ben Taub Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Dr. Stephensen is Vice Chair of Quality and Safety and Associate Professor of Pediatric Anesthesiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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None of the authors have any disclosures to report.