Great quote from Gary Haynes, MD, MS, PhD, FASA today in Becker's Healthcare ASC review: "The biggest investment this year is in recruiting and retaining anesthesiologists and CRNAs," Gary Haynes, MD, PhD, professor of anesthesiology at New Orleans-based Tulane University School of Medicine, told Becker's. "If we fail at that, we will have an even bigger expense in retaining locums anesthesiologists and CRNAs." It's the 2nd and 3rd order impact of decisions most organizations fail to think through; all anesthesia is expensive, but getting behind in coverage means paying significant premiums. https://lnkd.in/g-6W54er
The supply and demand for anesthesia providers has shifted the healthcare system into a space where we need all providers that know how to administer anesthesia actually administering anesthesia. The traditional anesthesia care team is no longer sustainable. Todays healthcare system can no longer afford to have two people doing one job. Certain cases should be triaged to nurse anesthesiologists and certain cases to physician anesthesiologists. The safety profiles are the same. There is an old saying that says you don’t hire an astronaut when you need a pilot. The 1:4 Anesthesiologist:CRNA medical direction model must flex to 1:7 supervision or independent CRNA practices. Institutions who do this sooner rather than later will be the winners. Everyone must be practicing to the full scope of their education and training. Draconian policy restrictions really need to be reevaluated and updated to meet continuing demands for anesthesia providers. Create a collaborative culture and people will stay.
Unfortunately even with amazing recruitment the supply and demand disconnect between clinicians and surgical volume increase is outpacing even the best recruitment strategies. Most business entities don’t have the elasticity in operations to adjust recruitment strategy at the same pace market demand is necessitating.
Welcome to the world of an inverted demographic structure. Combine that with expanding medical procedures that necessitate sedation/anesthesia and you find yourself in the precarious situation we are now where workforce shortages are the new normal and an emphasis on recruiting and retaining that limited resource is a must
I couldn’t agree more with Gary Haynes, MD, MS, PhD, FASA.
Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine and Director, Patient Quality and Safety, St. Raphael's Campus, Yale New Haven Health. Experienced Leader, Author, Speaker, Consultant.
4wThe winners will be flexible, adaptable, and create a supportive work environment with reasonable comp in the sweet spot at 60th to 70th percentile.