A recent study conducted for the Park Ridge, IL-based American Society of Anesthesiologists indicates that the shortage of anesthesiologists is delaying elective procedures. More than one-fourth (27%) of hospital administrators surveyed indicated that the wait time for surgical services has increased within the past five years. For hospitals with more than 250 beds, the percentage jumps to 36%.
The impact of the shortage doesn’t stop there. According to the study:
• Almost one-half (47%) of the hospitals surveyed have had to limit the number of operating rooms or the available hours of an operating room due to the lack of anesthesia providers.
• Twenty-two percent of administrators said that within the last five years, they have had to limit or eliminate anesthesia services that previously were provided outside of the OR, such as pain management.
• Almost one-half (47%) of the hospital administrators report that they don’t have an adequate number of anesthesiologists on staff. Of those, 61% have had to supplement staff with locum tenens anesthesia providers, generally at a very high cost.
The nationwide survey was administered among 327 senior-level administrators from hospitals with more than 100 beds. The survey was conducted by The Tarrance Group in Alexandria, VA, between March 28 and June 17, 2002. The margin of error associated with a sample of this type is ±5%.
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