Researchers used 443,000 Medicare beneficiaries’ claims data from January 2004 to December 2011 to explore the influence of care team composition on inpatient mortality, inpatient length of stay and inpatient spending. Researchers compared cases where an anesthesiologist supervised an anesthesiologist assistant to those where an anesthesiologist supervised a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
Here’s what you should know:
1. Adjusted mortality rate for care teams with AAs was 1.6 percent versus 1.7 percent for care team with CRNAs.
2. Care teams with AAs were associated with a non-statistically significant decrease in length of stay (-.009 days).
3. Care teams with AAs were also associated with a non-statistically significant decrease in medical spending (-$56).
Researchers concluded, “The specific composition of the anesthesia care team was not associated with any significant differences in mortality, length of stay or inpatient spending.”
More articles on anesthesia:
6 anesthesiologists, pain physicians facing criminal charges for murder, fraud & more
12 ASC company leaders to know
Study identifies 5 areas of safe injection practice improvement for ASCs, primary care providers
