1. Get a second opinion. From time to time, the anesthesiologist and surgeon might disagree on whether the patient is appropriate for surgery. When such a stalemate arises, either party might ask for a second opinion from another surgeon or anesthesiologist. This takes the disagreement away from being a personality conflict and focuses it on objective concerns.
2. Make sure there are clear expectations. To avert disagreements over appropriateness of certain patients for anesthesia, anesthesiologists should make sure the surgeon is aware of their expectations on patients’ proper weight, blood sugar levels and degree of hypertension. Dr. Yunker says his group writes up such guidelines and sends them to surgeons.
3. The issue of making the anesthesiologist an owner. Dr. Yunker sees pluses and minuses here. On the one hand, “If you’re an owner, you care about what drugs are being used and the cost of equipment,” he says. On the other hand, only surgeon-owners can bring cases to the ASC. Anesthesiologist can’t do that. “Even if you’re not an owner, you are still working hard,” Dr. Yunker says. “The motivation for the anesthesiologist is being paid by the case.”
