California's Kaweah Delta Medical Center to Grant Credentials to 13 New Anesthesiologists

Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, Calif., is working to grant credentials to new physicians hired by Somnia Anesthesia Services, according to a Visalia Times Delta report.

The new anesthesiology group took over at Kaweah Delta this week, introducing certified registered nurse anesthetists to do some of the work previously performed by physicians. Somnia says they have hired 13 anesthesiologists and seven CRNAs. By Monday, one new physician had received credentials at Kaweah Delta, in addition to Roy Winston, MD, the new chief of anesthesiology.

Seven of the 13 physicians hired by Somnia were retained from Visalia Anesthesiology Medical Associates, the outgoing group that provided anesthesia services at Kaweah Delta for 16 years.

The hospital has said that if a patient or surgeon prefers a physician to administer anesthesia rather than a CRNA, the hospital would honor that request.

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