Anesthesia

Montana health systems and hospitals are being crushed by anesthesiologist shortages, but anesthesiologists are still opposed to integrating certified registered nurse anesthetists into health systems, Billings Gazette reported Jan. 6. 

Paul Pomerantz, CEO of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, plans to retire after a 10-year tenure. 

Montana's health systems have been suffering from a shortage of anesthesiologists, which has only worsened due to COVID-19, according to a Jan. 6 report from the Billings Gazette. 

From new guidelines to an acquisition, here are eight anesthesia updates Becker's has reported on since Dec. 14: 

Here are three anesthesiologists making headlines since Dec. 21:

New guidelines from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine instruct physicians to ask patients about their cannabis use before undergoing procedures requiring anesthesia.

Here are four states that clarified the scope of practice for CRNAs in 2022:

Two anesthesiologists will join West Georgia Anesthesiology Associates and Tanner Heart Care in Carrollton, according to a Dec. 26 release from Tanner Health. Davoy Murray, MD, and Brit Lovvorn, MD, will join Tanner Health's open-heart surgery program in January.

A recent study from a Boston medical center found that giving patients virtual reality headsets may decrease the need for anesthesia, according to a Sept. 22 news release. 

Adam Spiegel, CEO of Irving, Texas-based NorthStar Anesthesia, joined Becker's to discuss the biggest controversies in anesthesia and the biggest challenges to securing anesthesia.