| The supply of Anesthesiologists may not be meeting | | | | Furthermore, demand for physicians' services is highly |
| the demand for services creating shortages. Some | | | | sensitive to changes in healthcare reimbursement |
| medical schools are increasing their enrollments based | | | | policies. If changes to health coverage result in higher |
| on this. Further, this shortage of personnel makes it | | | | out-of-pocket costs for consumers, they may demand |
| harder for hospitals to terminate contracts with one | | | | fewer physician services. |
| group and replace them with another. This enhances | | | | In rural settings, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia |
| their ability to negotiate better contracts which drive up | | | | providers in nearly two thirds of all hospitals. CRNAs |
| costs of health care. The supply of Anesthesiologists | | | | are also the main provider of obstetrical anesthesia in |
| may not be meeting the demand for services creating | | | | the United States |
| shortages. Some medical schools are increasing their | | | | Increase in the Demand for Anesthesia Jobs |
| enrollments based on this. Further, this shortage of | | | | The National Center for Health Statistics states |
| personnel makes it harder for hospitals to terminate | | | | inpatient surgeries were flat between 1994 and 2000. |
| contracts with one group and replace them with | | | | While the number of anesthesia providers has |
| another. This enhances their ability to negotiate better | | | | remained relatively constant in recent years, surgical |
| contracts which drive up costs of health care. | | | | volumes have increased nationwide, placing greater |
| Economics and Health | | | | demand on the providers of anesthesia services. |
| The job loss caused by the recession directly impacts | | | | Bad Economy and Aging Population |
| all physicians’ income. When millions of people | | | | The recent stock market collapse is having a major |
| lose their jobs, they also lose their health care | | | | impact on older physicians' decisions of all specialties. |
| insurance and physicians lose patients that can pay. | | | | Many doctors are postponing retirement for a few |
| Hopefully the job loss is a short term set back, but it | | | | years, because of the losses they sustained in their |
| does affect demand for services and income for | | | | retirement accounts. However, even a few years |
| physicians immediately. This in effect destroys the | | | | delay of retirement won't address the increased |
| underlying projections of the growth of demand made | | | | demands caused by this impending loss of |
| just a few years ago. Until the economy picks up and | | | | experienced physicians. This postponement has |
| the unemployment drops from 10% to the 4 to 5% | | | | already resulted in fewer jobs being offered and |
| area there is a great possibility that the demand for all | | | | graduating residents not finding as many good |
| health care services based on per crash assumptions | | | | opportunities as before. Some residents rather than |
| is optimistic. | | | | committing themselves to less desirable full time jobs |
| Shortage of Anesthesiologists | | | | are opting for locum Anesthesia jobs. |
| From 1995 the number of anesthesiologists graduating | | | | Health Insurance Reform |
| from residency programs decreased. According to the | | | | The final question is the outcome of national health |
| American Society of Anesthesiologists the number of | | | | reform. Will there be any changes at all. This debate |
| American anesthesia residency graduates decreased | | | | has frozen decision making for many in health care. If |
| from 1,547 in 1995 to only 392 in 2000. During the same | | | | the health care reform actually happens in increasing |
| period, the number of practicing anesthesiologists | | | | the enrollment into health care insurance then the long |
| increased by less than 9 percent, according to the | | | | term the aging population and these increased |
| AMA. This compares with a 13 percent increase in the | | | | numbers should push demand for services and income |
| number of physicians in all specialties. | | | | higher. However, no one yet knows what will happen |
| CRNAs | | | | to reimbursement rates from Medicare. Already |
| The rising cost of healthcare can dramatically affect | | | | there has been some lowering of rates they pay in |
| demand for physicians’ services. CRNAs, who | | | | Radiology which has directly impacted that specialty. |
| can perform many of the routine duties of physicians | | | | The question is will there be more rates cut that will |
| at a fraction of the cost, may be increasingly used. | | | | affect all specialties including Anesthesia. |