Anesthesia

When anesthesia leaders are left out of operational decisions, the consequences can ripple across scheduling, staffing and surgeon satisfaction, according to Megan Friedman, DO, chair and medical director at Los Angeles-based Pacific Coast Anesthesia Consultants. Editor’s note: This interview was…

As hospitals and ASCs grapple with persistent anesthesia workforce shortages, issues with “wasted coverage” are emerging alongside them, according to Megan Friedman, DO, chair and medical director at Los Angeles-based Pacific Coast Anesthesia Consultants. Dr. Friedman joined Becker’s to discuss…

Edina, Minn.-based Nura Pain Clinics has promoted Erin Bettendorf, MD, to medical director of the Nura Surgical Center.  Dr. Bettendorf is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine. She joined Nura Pain Clinics in 2022, according to a Jan. 21 news…

Anesthesia shortages are moving from an intermittent disruption to a defining scheduling constraint for operating rooms and ASCs. As drug supply gaps persist, staffing shortages deepen and costs rise, perioperative leaders are reworking anesthesia coverage, workflow and daily case planning…

The future of anesthesia care stands at a critical crossroads. The Department of Education’s proposed federal student loan caps for graduate and professional programs – including those for aspiring Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) – will soon be open for…

Dallas-based Symmetry Anesthesia, a physician-led anesthesia group launched in mid-2025, has partnered with eight hospitals and hired more than 250 clinicians within its first five months of operation.  The organization onboarded five hospitals during that period and attributes its early…

The University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha has named Daniel Johnson, MD, as executive vice chair of its department of anesthesiology and Shaun Thompson, MD, as chief of the critical care anesthesiology division, both effective March 1. Dr. Johnson…

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Confluence Health will open a pre-anesthesia testing clinic at its Central Campus hospital on Feb. 9, Source One reported Jan. 19.  The clinic aims to improve surgical outcomes by evaluating patients’ health prior to surgery. Patients will meet…

As payers tighten the screws on anesthesia coverage, leaders say the biggest threats aren’t just lower rates — they’re new tactics that quietly strip away units, modifiers and timely payment.  From eroding Medicare and Medicaid conversion factors to network narrowing…

As the anesthesia shortage strains OR capacity nationwide, leaders say the fastest fixes will come from expanding training while redesigning how the workforce is deployed.  From keeping older anesthesiologists in meaningful roles to rethinking scheduling peaks, eight anesthesiologists joined Becker’s…