The anesthesia shortage remains one of the biggest challenges ASCs face today.
Here are three ASC leaders' thoughts on what should be done and what they are doing to combat this issue.
Editor's note: These responses were edited lighty for length and clarity.
John Brady. CEO at Fox Valley Orthopedics (Geneva, Ill.): From the operation of an ASC perspective, and given the large increases in anesthesia expense, providers and facility leadership need to consider alternate models for delivery of this service, including CRNA-only models. Ensuring clinical quality and patient safety should be the priorities, but as more ASCs shift to this type of model, they should be able to better control overall costs and avoid or minimize costly management stipends charged by anesthesia groups.
Charles Kim, MD. President of the Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists: Research shows that eliminating physician-led care does not improve access to care or save medical costs. The cost of an anesthesia procedure is the same regardless of who provides the anesthesia. Patients should not receive nurse-led care when they are paying for, and expect, physician-led care. Short-term solutions to workforce challenges could include a greater focus on improving efficiency, scheduling and predictability for the best use of restrained resources. And long-term solutions could include increasing the supply of anesthesia professionals by expanding residency programs, reforming Medicare payment for anesthesia services and increasing the anesthesia advanced practice provider workforce by expanding the number of states where certified anesthesiologists assistants are licensed to practice.
Andrew Lovewell. CEO at Columbia (Mo.) Orthopaedic Group: I continue to keep my attention on the staffing shortages that exist in critical roles in the healthcare space today. Obviously, anesthesia has been a hot topic of discussion the last two to three years, and I don't see that getting better any time soon. We have moved to a fully integrated model in our practice where the anesthesia staff are employed through our group practice. This created stability with insurance benefits, better contracts and a more marketable pay range. We are lucky to have the staff that we do in our ASC and are looking to grow our anesthesia service line in our market.
Erin Vitale, RN. Director of Nursing at Hoffman Estates (Ill.) Surgery Center: Right now, we are looking at the trends in anesthesia shortage and the rising volume of cataract cases. A way to deal with both trends is switching our cataract cases over from monitored anesthesia care to local anesthesia. This way, we can increase our cataract volume while also freeing up our anesthesia for our growing volume of general and orthopedic programs at our center.
Read more about the trends ASC leaders are watching here.