SOCAS is a non-interventional,
purely observational study conducted
in at least ten Swiss hospitals.

All patients receiving anaesthesia during the study period are included, regardless of whether a surgical procedure takes place. Data collection is carried out through the existing A-QUA platform, supplemented by project-specific variables. Demographic and clinical data, intraoperative events, postoperative complications, postoperative delirium, length of stay in the intensive care unit and in hospital, as well as mortality at discharge and after 180 days, are recorded. All data are pseudonymised and managed centrally.

Methodology and Areas of Application

• Prospective, multicentre observational study (no intervention)
• Data collection: Routine data from the A-QUA database and results from the A-CERT certification programme
• Participants: 10–14 anaesthesia departments from across Switzerland, representing various hospital types
• Sample size: Approximately 40,000 patients over a period of 3–6 months
• Follow-up: Recording of complications and mortality during hospital stay and after 180 days
• Outcomes: Mortality, classification of complications (ClassIntra, Clavien–Dindo), length of stay, postoperative delirium
• Analysis: Descriptive statistics, multicentre modelling, and inter-institutional comparisons

Data Protection & Ethics
Data collection takes place as part of routine care and does not interfere with medical treatment. All data are pseudonymised and processed in accordance with Swiss data protection regulations. Individual patient consent is not required, as the study is classified as a quality assurance project under Swiss law (HFG Art. 34 / HFV). Ethical review is conducted by the Cantonal Ethics Committee Zurich (KEK Zurich).