Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists

The American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (ASCCA) is a professional association that was founded in 1986 as an affiliate of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). The Society’s more than 900 members include anesthesiologists who actively practice critical care as well as anesthesiologists who practice recovery room or acute care management, respiratory therapy, and cardiovascular and neurosurgical anesthesia. Anesthesiologists provide preoperative consultation, intraoperative intensive management, and postoperative care for patients. The American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists is committed to fostering the role of anesthesiologists as perioperative specialists and providing for continuing education and interchange of ideas. The Society represents the practice of critical care medicine in the ASA House of Delegates; provides representation, in conjunction with the ASA and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, on key legislative and advocacy issues related to patient care and reimbursement; and functions as a forum for specialists with broad-based interests including respiratory therapy, postoperative cardiac surgical and neurological management, and trauma care. In addition, the ASCCA provides educational updates through texts and monographs; publishes the “Interchange,” a quarterly newsletter that discusses historical aspects of anesthesiology, ethically controversial issues, and surveys of practice patterns; and publishes a Membership Directory. The Society also offers access to and participation in ongoing continuing medical education (CME) and research programs; conducts the ASA Annual Meeting; and provides assistance to anesthesiology chairpersons and program directors regarding educational goals and objectives for fellows and residents.