The ASA has been actively involved in recommending anesthesia 'best practices' since it was organized in 1905. The Society's Standards, Guidelines, and Statements provide guidance for anesthesiologists, facilities, and accrediting organizations. Developed by anesthesiologists from across the nation, the scientific data, clinical experience and collective wisdom have become the accepted yardstick for all aspects of anesthesia care. The specific practice environment of office-based care was addressed in 1999 when ASA developed comprehensive guidelines for office-based anesthesia practice by anesthesiologists.

A set of optimal educational guidelines to help the surgeon in the office practice of surgery provide this service to patients in an appropriate manner and in a safe environment have been developed by the ACS Board of Governors Committee on Ambulatory Surgical Care.

Guidelines for Optimal Ambulatory Surgical Care and Office Based Surgery (03GR-02) May 2000.

The AAP is an outspoken advocate of quality healthcare for children. A particular concern is the frequent requirement for sedation during procedures on children in many care environments. AAP developed 'Guidelines for Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures' in 1992. Then in 1999, the AAP Section on Anesthesiology produced the 'Guidelines for the Pediatric Perioperative Anesthesia Environment.'

The AAOMS Committee on Anesthesia first published guidelines for office anesthesia care in 1971. Currently, AAOMS provides the Sixth Edition of the Office Anesthesia Evaluation Manual to aid its members in preparing their offices for routine anesthesia care, response to patient emergencies, and onsite inspection of the office facility.

The ADA set standards long ago for dentists on the safe and appropriate care of patients, including the use of sedation in the dental office.

Founded in 1947, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is the non-profit membership organization representing the specialty of pediatric dentistry. The AAPD's nearly 5,000 members are primary care providers who also provide comprehensive specialty treatments for infants, children, adolescents and patients with special health care needs. As advocates of children's oral health, the AAPD works closely with legislators, professional associations and health care professionals to develop policies and guidelines, implement research opportunities in pediatric oral health, and educate pediatric dentists, health care providers and the public regarding pediatric oral health.

APSF has been a leader in the effort to improve safety of anesthesia care in all environments since 1984. A cardinal goal of APSF is to communicate and to disseminate information about issues of anesthesia safety. The APSF Newsletter, published quarterly, has a readership of over 60,000. In addition to anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, the distribution includes the nation's risk managers, the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons, the liability insurance industry, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, the Joint Commission, the FDA, and, far from least, congressional staffers responsible for health care information.