Need for temporary anesthesia providers remains high, pointing to growing shortage

Anesthesia providers, including anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists, were the most used type of locum tenens professionals in the last year, according to AMN Healthcare’s “2022 Survey of Locum Tenens.

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According to the report, this is a “clear indication” that the number of procedures that need anesthesia is increasing and there are insufficient providers available. 

AMN Healthcare surveyed 202 healthcare facility executives/managers in February and March 2022. 

Three more stats on temporary anesthesia providers:

1. Twenty-eight percent of surveyed said their facilities had used locum tenens anesthesia providers in the last year. Of that 28 percent, 14 percent said they used temporary CRNAs and 14 percent said they used temporary anesthesiologists. 

2. For anesthesiologists, this is a 7 percentage point decrease from 2021 and a more than 5 percentage point increase from 2014. 

3. For CRNAs, this is a 3.5 percentage point decrease from 2021 and an almost 8 percentage point increase from 2014. 

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