The Anesthesia Cost of Convenience
While it may seem convenient to flip operating rooms and fill staffing gaps with temporary or less experienced anesthesia providers to have a CRNA available for that MRI case, the question today is, “Can our facility afford it?” This approach can be incredibly attractive to the surgeons or proceduralists, but the cost of not maximizing hospital and anesthesia staff productivity is now onerous. Demand for care has increased, while the supply of anesthesia providers has fallen. Reimbursement for anesthesia services has also fallen. Given these challenging circumstances, the simple solution of having an anesthesia provider available is not always the most cost-effective means to the facility. The following highlights some key challenges in the surgical field, focusing on care quality and financial effectiveness through the optimal use of anesthesia teams.
Inconsistent Quality of Care
Anesthesia is experiencing the worst provider shortage in its history and many facilities are highly dependent on locum tenens coverage. When relying on temporary providers to fill the coverage grid, there is an increased risk of variation in care quality. These providers may not be familiar with a facility’s specific protocols or the nuances of the patient population, potentially jeopardizing outcomes. Most importantly, temporary providers and the surgeons do not have a working relationship. Consistency is crucial to high quality care, especially in high-stakes environments like surgery, where any lapse can have serious consequences.
Increased Demand for Flip Rooms
The trend of utilizing “flip rooms” with the idea that using multiple operating rooms for a single surgeon to facilitate transitions between different types of procedures has become more common. While this approach can enhance efficiency for the surgeon, it also demands a higher level of coordination and expertise from anesthesia providers. From the anesthesia perspective, flip rooms are very inefficient and expensive. Additionally, when staffing is inconsistent, managing these transitions effectively becomes challenging, leading to further delays and greater operational inefficiencies. If the anesthesia provider is not in a case because they are waiting for a flip, they are not generating revenue.
Expanding Roles for Anesthesia Providers
As the demand for surgical services grows, there is an increasing need for anesthesia providers to perform non-operating room anesthesia (NORA), such as that done in radiology suites, cardiac catheterization labs, and gastrointestinal (GI) suites. This expansion puts further pressure for additional providers daily. Relying on temporary staff who may not be familiar with these offsite locations and lack experience in these specialized environments can compromise patient safety and quality care due to a lack of understanding where emergency equipment and additional help can be accessed when performing NORA anesthesia.
Longer Wait Times
The reliance on convenience-driven staffing solutions can lead to longer wait times for surgeries and procedures. Delays not only frustrate patients but can also result in increased healthcare costs due to prolonged hospital stays and the need for additional interventions.
By prioritizing efficiency over convenience, healthcare facilities can improve the consistency and quality of anesthesia care across all settings while saving a lot on workforce cost. Greater efficiency will directly improve the facility’s bottom line and ensure that patients receive the best possible outcomes.