As a new way to address challenges in current anesthesia models and staffing, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) recently developed Efficiency-Driven Anesthesia Modeling.
The approach aims to:
– Find the ideal distribution of CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists, supporting flexibility to meet a healthcare facility or system’s unique variables, such as local demand and financial capacity
– Limit duplication of services, increase patient access, improve effectiveness, and reduce costs
Efficiency-Driven Anesthesia Modeling is designed to resolve urgent challenges in anesthesia staffing:
- Improving access to care
CRNAs make up more than 50% of the anesthesia providers in the U.S. and provide the majority of anesthesia services in rural hospitals and medically underserved areas.
As closures of rural hospitals increase and many hospital systems are under-resourced, it is more important than ever to utilize the expertise of CRNAs. They have specialized skills and training in areas including patient assessment and safety, airway management, and intubation, yet public policy has been slow to grant them the full scope of anesthesia practice. Yet CRNAs can now be the sole providers of pre-operative anesthesia evaluation in ASCs, and 22 states have opted out of the federal Medicare requirement of physician supervision of CRNAs.
- Reducing costs and optimizing outcomes
While demand for anesthesia services is increasing, reimbursement for Medicare patients has decreased in recent years. Medicare pays the same reimbursement fee for anesthesia services, regardless of whether they’re provided by a CRNA, a physician anesthesiologist, or a team.
Research shows that using an additional provider doesn’t improve patient outcomes or quality of care, so the most cost-effective, high-quality anesthesia delivery model is a CRNA working without physician anesthesiologist supervision. CRNAs must meet rigorous academic and clinical requirements for recertification and carry insurance coverage for the services they provide.
- Addressing the provider shortage
Physician recruitment and retention is becoming more challenging and costly, due to factors such as increasing competition, changing demographics, and declining physician availability. More and more CRNAs are filling the staffing gap. Efficiency-Driven Anesthesia Modeling leverages the versatility of CRNAs to give facilities the most flexible and cost-effective staffing options.
- Increasing access to non-opioid pain management
The ongoing opioid epidemic in the U.S. demands urgent attention. More than 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2021 involved an opioid, according to data from the CDC.
CRNAs are often better equipped than physician anesthesiologists to manage patients’ chronic or post-surgical pain in a holistic, patient-centered manner without the use of opioids. CRNAs are working with organizations to lead initiatives aiming to curb opioid abuse and provide safe and effective pain management through a variety of modalities.
Contact Radar Healthcare Providers to learn more about our anesthesia staffing services.