Answer: Yes. To be a full MPOG member you need to have implemented an AIMS and have 10,000 cases entered into the MPOG dataset. You also need to have institutional IRB approval for the research work you will be doing with the MPOG data. Other requirements can be found on the MPOG website. To be a participant in AQI you need to complete a data sharing agreement and allow practice data meeting at least minimal standards to be entered into the AQI dataset. If you are an MPOG member, you may have your AIMS data directly sent to the AQI dataset, if you so desire. All data in both databases is de-identified.

Answer: Yes. You need to complete a data use agreement for MPOG and a separate one for AQI. These are contracts that need to be signed by your organization and either MPOG or AQI. The agreements are similar. As a member of AQI you must also complete the agreement to have your data placed in the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry (NACOR). To be a full member of MPOG you must have your institution approved by a site IRB to allow you to send data to the MPOG data repository and ultimately receive data from MPOG for your individual research proposals.

Answer: MPOG membership is “free” but it does require resources at your institution to assist in the technical operations of transmitting data. The entrance “fee” for full MPOG membership is 10,000 cases into the data repository. MPOG will be using grant money to fund its further development. AQI membership is similar. You will need to commit some resources in your practice to facilitate data transfer. After that you will receive standard reports from the AQI for a fee based on the percentage of ASA members in your practice--AQI participation is free to groups with 100% ASA membership. Custom data searches and custom reports can be requested, but may require funding to complete.

Answer: MPOG is a data repository housed at the University of Michigan. All the data any institution sends to the MPOG data repository always remains the property of the originating institution. It is held in the repository so that it can be shared with other institutions given IRB approval and approval of the MPOG Board for that specific study. At that point the specific data fields being requested will be made available to the individuals who have received approval for their research project. Aggregated AQI data – which is all de-identified – belongs to the AQI for purposes of national quality management reporting and creation of process and outcome benchmarks. However the AQI will never report data from individual hospitals, practices or providers without their express permission. AQI data will also be available for academic use, but will require IRB approval from the requestor’s institution and endorsement by the AQI Data Use Committee. If such a request would include data submitted by joint AQI/MPOG participants, then approval of the MPOG Data Use Committee will also be required.