Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

ASA: Patients demand physicians provide anesthesia care

John F. Dombrowski, MD
Physician
February 14, 2011
55 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

When it comes to receiving anesthesia or pain-related care, patients overwhelmingly demand the care of a physician anesthesiologist over other non-physician providers. In a recent survey conducted by AMA, 70 percent of public respondents believed only a physician should administer and monitor anesthesia levels before and after surgery, while 80 percent believed only a physician should perform pain management techniques like spinal injections.

These findings clearly demonstrate the public’s opinion on which type of anesthesia provider they want overseeing their care. It is important to note that anesthesia providers work in a valuable team setting, called the Anesthesia Care Team model consisting of anesthesiologists who lead the team along with nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologist assistants who provide support. The AMA’s findings are further supported with the recent ASA Vital Health survey findings in which nearly 80 percent of survey respondents wanted an anesthesiologist to administer the anesthesia for their surgeries.

The public, patients really, have made their voices clear in the results of these two surveys- they want anesthesiologist leadership in their anesthetic care. While nurse anesthetists are able to perform the technical aspects in the administration of anesthesia, they simply do not have the education, training or skills to fully manage patients, respond to medical complications or advance the science of anesthesiology. Anesthesiologists have at least eight years of post-graduate education and training, while nurse anesthetists have only two to three years.

Due to the advanced training of anesthesiologists, they have been at the forefront of patient safety and quality initiatives throughout the history of the specialty. These advances have led to a dramatic decrease in anesthesia-related deaths over the past 25 years, from two deaths per 10,000 anesthetics administered to one death per 200,000 to 300,000 anesthetics administered.

Anesthesiologists continue to work toward further patient safety advances and also are working to universally extend their roles outside of the operating room as the physicians responsible for pre- and post-operative assessments, diagnostics and pain management, as well as blood transfusion and respiratory therapies.

John F. Dombrowski is on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Submit a guest post and be heard on social media’s leading physician voice.

Prev

When in the ER with abdominal pain, adjust your expectations

February 14, 2011 Kevin 8
…
Next

The hysterical patient during a busy ER shift

February 14, 2011 Kevin 20
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Patients, Specialist

Post navigation

< Previous Post
When in the ER with abdominal pain, adjust your expectations
Next Post >
The hysterical patient during a busy ER shift

More by John F. Dombrowski, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    I have seen the tragedy of prescription drug abuse

    John F. Dombrowski, MD

More in Physician

  • America’s pain management nightmare: How the DEA shaped the opioid epidemic

    L. Joseph Parker, MD
  • The middleman dilemma in health care

    Anonymous
  • Why write? Physicians share their stories of healing through writing.

    Kim Downey, PT
  • A doctor struggles to provide mental health care in Appalachia

    Ryan McCarthy, MD
  • Physicians are burned out. Could entrepreneurship be a cure?

    Arun Mohan, MD, MBA
  • The dark role of science, medicine, and tasers

    L. Joseph Parker, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Health care’s hidden problem: hospital primary care losses

      Christopher Habig, MBA | Policy
    • The dark role of science, medicine, and tasers

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Physician
    • The synergy of AI and human intelligence in transforming health care

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Unraveling the mysteries of mast cell disorders [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Coping with grief in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Navigating physician shortages in rural communities

      Stacy Wentworth, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medicare coverage saves lives. Enrolling shouldn’t be this complicated.

      Catherine L. Chen, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Emergency department burnout: a cry for change

      Anonymous | Conditions
    • The erosion of compassion in medicine

      Daniel Luger, MD | Education
    • Health care’s hidden problem: hospital primary care losses

      Christopher Habig, MBA | Policy
    • Pain medicine realities: beyond the opioid crisis

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD and Stephen E. Nadeau, MD | Conditions
    • When medical protocol meets family concerns

      Richard Young, MD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Unraveling the mysteries of mast cell disorders [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How to select the right mutual funds for your goals

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • America’s pain management nightmare: How the DEA shaped the opioid epidemic

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Physician
    • The middleman dilemma in health care

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Tips for success as a plastic surgeon [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why write? Physicians share their stories of healing through writing.

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 12 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • ASCT Tops CAR T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed LBCL in Complete Remission
  • 'New Gold Standard' for Previously Untreated CLL
  • Emicizumab Safe, Effective, in Infants With Hemophilia A
  • Add-On Inavolisib Ups PFS in PIK3CA-Mutated Breast Cancer
  • Lovo-Cel 'Life-Changing, Transformative' in Sickle Cell Disease

Meeting Coverage

  • ASCT Tops CAR T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed LBCL in Complete Remission
  • 'New Gold Standard' for Previously Untreated CLL
  • Emicizumab Safe, Effective, in Infants With Hemophilia A
  • Add-On Inavolisib Ups PFS in PIK3CA-Mutated Breast Cancer
  • Lovo-Cel 'Life-Changing, Transformative' in Sickle Cell Disease
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Health care’s hidden problem: hospital primary care losses

      Christopher Habig, MBA | Policy
    • The dark role of science, medicine, and tasers

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Physician
    • The synergy of AI and human intelligence in transforming health care

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Unraveling the mysteries of mast cell disorders [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Coping with grief in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Navigating physician shortages in rural communities

      Stacy Wentworth, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medicare coverage saves lives. Enrolling shouldn’t be this complicated.

      Catherine L. Chen, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Emergency department burnout: a cry for change

      Anonymous | Conditions
    • The erosion of compassion in medicine

      Daniel Luger, MD | Education
    • Health care’s hidden problem: hospital primary care losses

      Christopher Habig, MBA | Policy
    • Pain medicine realities: beyond the opioid crisis

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD and Stephen E. Nadeau, MD | Conditions
    • When medical protocol meets family concerns

      Richard Young, MD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Unraveling the mysteries of mast cell disorders [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How to select the right mutual funds for your goals

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • America’s pain management nightmare: How the DEA shaped the opioid epidemic

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Physician
    • The middleman dilemma in health care

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Tips for success as a plastic surgeon [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why write? Physicians share their stories of healing through writing.

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

ASA: Patients demand physicians provide anesthesia care
12 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...