Workforce Shortage in Anesthesiology: Non-Physician Clinicians Take Center Stage

Strategic Insights -

As the US experiences a growing demand for healthcare services, a severe workforce shortage in anesthesiology has gripped the nation, with too few new doctors emerging from medical school to meet the anticipated growing demand. Advanced practice providers, or APPs, have been at the forefront of addressing this issue, with a recent Kaufman Hall report finding that more than 40% of all clinicians in the country are APPs. In anesthesiology, APPs have already reached parity with anesthesiologists, and in 10 years, the US is expected to have more APPs than doctors, according to Matthew Bates, managing director and physician enterprise service line leader at Kaufman Hall.

Key Takeaways:

  • A continuing workforce shortage in anesthesiology has been exacerbated by the retirement or burnout of physicians and a lack of new doctors emerging from medical school.
  • Advanced practice providers, or APPs, have been growing in numbers, with more than 40% of all clinicians in the US being APPs, according to a Kaufman Hall report.
  • In anesthesiology, there is already an equal number of APPs as anesthesiologists, and in 10 years' time, the US will have more APPs than doctors, according to Matthew Bates, managing director and physician enterprise service line leader at Kaufman Hall.
  • A recent workshop in Chicago hosted by chief certified registered nurse anesthetist Bree Brown aimed to highlight the vital role that APPs play in addressing the workforce shortage in anesthesiology.
  • APPs are showing that they can deliver high-quality care at a fraction of the cost of physicians, with some services being delivered at half or less than half the cost.
  • Value-based care models that employ APPs as a first line of care have been shown to be effective in improving patient outcomes and reducing unnecessary hospital readmissions.
  • A team of mid-level care givers, including APPs, social workers, and therapists, is critical in lightening the load of physicians and improving patient relationships and communication.
  • Tech-enabled workflows and analytics are essential in controlling costs and improving patient care, and a nursing care manager or someone in the background managing the process is critical in both finances and care.

Statistics:

  • 55 certified registered nurse anesthesiologist students from Chicago-area universities took part in a workshop on anesthesiology workforce shortage.
  • More than 40% of all clinicians in the US are advanced practice providers (APPs), according to a Kaufman Hall report.
  • There is already an equal number of APPs as anesthesiologists in anesthesiology.
  • In 10 years, the US is expected to have more APPs than doctors, according to Matthew Bates, managing director and physician enterprise service line leader at Kaufman Hall.
  • APPs can deliver high-quality care at a fraction of the cost of physicians, with some services being delivered at half or less than half the cost.
  • Value-based care models that employ APPs as a first line of care have been shown to reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions by 20-30%.

Sources:

  • Kaufman Hall report
  • Crain's, "Kaufman Hall Report: More Than 40% of All Clinicians Are Non-Physician Clinical Roles"
  • Matthew Bates, managing director and physician enterprise service line leader at Kaufman Hall, in Crain's, "Kaufman Hall Report: More Than 40% of All Clinicians Are Non-Physician Clinical Roles"
  • Bree Brown, chief certified registered nurse anesthetist with US Anesthesia Partners, in Crain's, "Workforce Shortage in Anesthesiology: Non-Physician Clinicians Take Center Stage"
  • Joe Widmar, director in West Monroe's health care mergers and acquisitions group, in Crain's, "Workforce Shortage in Anesthesiology: Non-Physician Clinicians Take Center Stage"