The shortage of anesthesia providers has had a significant impact on healthcare organizations across the country.
"The staffing issues in the healthcare space are not new," Andrew Lovewell, CEO of Columbia (Mo.) Orthopaedic Group, told Becker's. "Today's shortage of anesthesia providers has been compounding for years and has turned into an incredible challenge for all."
Here are four notes that offer insight into the severity of the anesthesia provider shortage:
1. In 2021, the Association of American Medical Colleges predicted a shortage of 12,500 anesthesiologists by 2033.
2. In 2023, 35% of anesthesiologists reported being burned out.
3. In November, Portland, Ore.-based Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center had to cancel several hundred surgeries amid a shortage of anesthesia providers.
4. A January 2023 report from the Billings Gazette stated that Montana's health systems have been suffering from a shortage of anesthesiologists. To help alleviate a shortage, Billings Clinic signed a contract with Billings Anesthesiology in November 2022.