Kaweah Delta Medical Center Surgeons Vote Against Using CRNAs to Provide Anesthesia

Surgeons at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, Calif., have voted against using certified registered nurse anesthetists to provide anesthesia in operating rooms, according to a Visalia Times Delta report.

Two surgeons abstained from the Thursday vote, which resulted in a 15-2 split. The number of surgeons who voted represents about 30 percent of the 55 general surgeons who operate at the Visalia hospital. Hospital administrators said the hospital's policy honors surgeon requests on whether to use an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist.

Mark Garfield, MD, vice president and chief medical officer, said the hospital will have enough anesthesiologist to accommodate surgeon requests.

The soonest the hospital trustees would take up the recommendation from the surgery department would be at their Dec. 12 board meeting, according to the report.

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