Unable to Complete the AER?
If you are having difficulty submitting an Adverse Event Report (AER) because you are unsure of what information to enter or how to enter details about the event, please contact the OBS Program at 518-408-1219 or by filling in the form below and selecting "Need Information for the AER."
If you are having trouble viewing content on the AER pages, navigating the AER, or other technical difficulties, please submit a ticket for assistance using the form below and select "Technical Issues".
New to Office Based Surgery (OBS)?
The New York State Department of Health's (NYSDOH) Office-Based Surgery Program is dedicated to promoting and improving patient safety and quality health services for all New Yorkers undergoing procedures performed in an office-based setting. The NYSDOH Office of Health Services Quality and Analytics ensures that all Office-Based Surgery practices are accredited and monitors data related to reportable adverse events.
New York State Office-Based Surgery Laws define office-based surgery (OBS), require physician practices in which OBS is performed to maintain accreditation from an accrediting agency designated by the Commissioner of Health, and mandate reporting of select adverse events that occur subsequent to OBS. Practices seeking to perform OBS must comply with the OBS laws as well as all other applicable statutes and regulations.
OBS is any surgical or other invasive procedure accompanied by general anesthesia, deep or moderate sedation, and any liposuction performed by a physician, physician assistant, specialist assistant, or podiatrist privileged to perform ankle surgery by the State Education Department, outside of a hospital, diagnostic and treatment center, ambulatory surgery center or other Public Health Law Article 28 facility. This definition excludes minor procedures and procedures performed with minimal sedation. Minor procedures are those that can be performed safely with minimal discomfort where the likelihood of complications requiring hospitalization is minimal; procedures performed with local or topical anesthesia or liposuction with removal of less than 500 cc of fat under unsupplemented anesthesia.
Common Questions:
What are the OBS Laws?
- Public Health Law (PHL) §§ 230-d and 2998-e
- State Education Law § 6530(48)
- Please visit the Office-Based Surgery website for more information on OBS laws, mandated reporters, and accreditation at https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery
What is Office Based Surgery (OBS)?
- OBS is any surgical or other invasive procedure accompanied by general anesthesia, deep or moderate sedation, and any liposuction performed by a physician, physician assistant, specialist assistant, or podiatrist privileged to perform ankle surgery by the State Education Department, outside of a hospital, diagnostic and treatment center, ambulatory surgery center or other Public Health Law Article 28 facility. This definition excludes minor procedures and procedures performed with minimal sedation. Minor procedures are those that can be performed safely with minimal discomfort where the likelihood of complications requiring hospitalization is minimal; procedures performed with local or topical anesthesia or liposuction with removal of less than 500 cc of fat under unsupplemented anesthesia.
What does the DOH do with my Adverse Event Report?
- The NYSDOH's Office of Health Services Quality and Analytics monitors data related to reportable adverse events. This enables the NYSDOH to identify trends in the quality of care, potential risks, and opportunities for quality improvement.
Need help completing the AER?
Common Questions:
I don't know all the required information to complete an Adverse Event Report.
- You may use the guide for completion of the Adverse Event Report (AER) found on our website: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery/
What information is required?
-
Information for the following areas is required:
- Mandated Reporter: Name of reporter & license number.
- Practice information: Accrediting agency, accreditation number, name of practice (both legal and DBA), name, address & phone number of practice, and name of a contact person for practice.
- Event Detail: Type of adverse event, date adverse event was first discovered by the reporter, date of adverse event, name of EMS service, hospital information, patient symptoms, suspected complication, and brief summary of event.
- Procedure information: Date of procedure, primary indication for procedure, ICD-10 diagnoses code, CPT/HCPCS, codes & description of procedure(s) performed.
- Sedation/Anesthesia information: ASA classification, type of sedation provided, pre- procedure, intraprocedural and post procedural medications used.
- Participating staff: Proceduralist, sedation prescriber, sedation administrator, and other staff in proceed room.
- Patient information: Name, gender, DOB, address, and primary payer.
- Patient's health history
- Patient's home medications
- Quality improvement: Contributing factors and improvement opportunities identified for adverse event.
- A guide containing the required information for completion of the Adverse Event Report (AER) can be found on our website: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery/
I want to upload more than one file.
- To upload multiple files to the AER, click on the Choose File button.
- Hold down the CTRL keyboard key while simultaneously selecting multiple files in the Explorer window. Once all files are selected, click on the Open button.
- The Upload screen will indicate how many files have been attached to form. Both files will be classified as the 1 file type that has been selected on the screen.
I don’t know the CPT/HCPS code for the procedures performed.
- Please provide all CPT codes used in your records for the procedure(s) performed.
- The following websites provide resources to look up CPT codes:
- http://apps.ama-assn.org/CptSearch/eula.do
- https://commerce.ama-assn.org/store/catalog/subCategoryDetail.jsp?category_id=cat1150007&navAction=pop
- If you are unable to identify CPT codes associated with procedures performed in your practice, please contact the OBS program for assistance. Email: OBS@health.ny.gov
Where do I find my accreditation number?
- The Agency accrediting the OBS practice issues an accreditation certificate to the OBS practice. The accreditation number should be provided on the certificate.
- The accreditation number may also be obtained by contacting the accrediting agency for your practice.
- You may find contact information for each of the three accrediting agencies designated by the Commissioner of Health on our website: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery/
Can I save my Adverse Event Report (AER) and complete it later?
- No, you are unable to save an incomplete AER.
- Upon submission of an AER, an Adverse Event Report Confirmation is provided, this contains an AER Report ID Reference Number. You may use this reference number to update a previously submitted AER.
- The Adverse Event Report Confirmation may be printed or saved as a PDF file. We recommend you either print or save the confirmation for future reference.
- A guide providing the required components for submitting an Office Based Surgery Adverse Event Report (AER) can be found on our website: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery/
I'm trying to update a previously submitted AER but don't know my AER Report ID Reference Number.
- The AER Report ID Reference Number can be found on the Adverse Event Report Confirmation provided upon submission of the previous AER.
- If the Adverse Event Report Confirmation was printed or saved as a PDF file, the AER Report ID Reference Number is identified on the confirmation as “Your AER Report ID Reference number” and is 12 digits in length, e.g. eee0n91d-e20
- You may contact the Office Based Surgery Program at OBS@health.ny.gov or by calling 518-408-1219 for assistance.
Unable to Complete/Submit the Adverse Event Report?
Please DO NOT submit any Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI includes unique patient/ personal identifiers, health information, and any other identifying elements.
User Guide
Open the user guide to assist in completing the Adverse Event Report (AER): User Guide (PDF)
This user guide containing the required information for completion of the Adverse Event Report (AER) can also be found on our website: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery/