The anesthesiology workforce is under growing strain as provider shortages, reimbursement cuts and burnout collide with rising surgical demand. Experts warn the combination threatens not only operating room efficiency but also patient access to timely care, particularly in rural communities. The specialty, once considered stable, is facing what many leaders describe as one of the most urgent staffing crises in healthcare.
Here are five things to know:
1. A looming provider shortage
Nearly 30% of anesthesiologists are projected to leave by 2033, leaving an anticipated shortfall of 12,500 providers. Another report predicts a gap of 6,300 anesthesiologists in the U.S. by 2036, underscoring the scale of the coming crisis.
The shortage comes as surgical demand grows with an aging population, raising concerns about longer wait times and access to care, particularly in rural areas.
2. Retirements and training gaps
An aging workforce is compounding the issue. Fifty-six percent of active anesthesiologists are older than 55, and more than 17% are nearing retirement. At the same time, residency training is failing to keep pace: In 2022, 44% of applicants seeking anesthesiology residency slots went unmatched.
Physician leaders have noted that residency positions have not expanded with demand, creating a training bottleneck that limits the number of new anesthesiologists entering the field.
3. Shifting care models under pressure
The anesthesiology shortage is pushing hospitals and surgery centers to adopt care models that rely more heavily on non-physician providers.
In particular, certified anesthesiologist assistants remain limited by state supervision laws, while certified registered nurse anesthetists in some states can practice independently. These dynamics are accelerating the push toward hybrid anesthesia teams that blend physicians, CRNAs and CAAs to meet demand.
4. Disrupted access
CRNAs provide more than 80% of anesthesia services in rural counties, but staffing shortages have escalated sharply, with facilities reporting gaps rising from 35% in 2020 to 78% by late 2022.
“Rural systems especially face a great danger of losing anesthesia services,” Andrew Briggs, CRNA, clinical education coordinator at UCHealth Anesthesia Southern Region in Colorado Springs, Colo., told Becker’s in August. “These communities face massive challenges in areas where recruiting providers is already difficult.”
5. Burnout and financial strain
Burnout rates are high. According to one survey, 40.6% of anesthesiologists plan to leave their current roles within two years, and the specialty reported a 50% burnout rate in 2024.
At the same time, reimbursement cuts continue to squeeze practices. Experts have called for multi-pronged reforms, including training expansion, reimbursement revisions and broader workforce models.
