Key takeaways
- Anesthesia shortages are pushing facilities to rethink staffing models and expand care team capacity.
- CAAs can strengthen physician-led anesthesia teams by supporting surgical growth, flexibility and care continuity.
- As CAA practice expands across more states, facilities have a growing opportunity to build a more scalable anesthesia workforce strategy.
Like all healthcare, anesthesia is facing serious issues due to rising clinician shortages. Hospitals and ambulatory centers are expected to expand operating room capacity, improve scheduling flexibility and maintain care continuity — all with projections showing the United States could face an anesthesiologist shortage of about 6,300 clinicians by 2036.
With that in mind, healthcare leaders are rethinking how to go about their anesthesia services to expand capacity, improve patient access and prepare for a widening physician shortage.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs) could be the answer. Rather than simply cutting costs, CAAs help healthcare facilities strengthen their workforce, maintain high-quality care and keep operations running smoothly.
Understanding the CAA role
CAAs are advanced practice anesthesia professionals who work as part of a physician-led anesthesia care team under the direction of an anesthesiologist. They provide anesthesia care before, during and after surgical and procedural cases by assessing patients, administering and monitoring anesthesia, managing patients' vital signs and supporting recovery. Rather than acting as a replacement, CAAs are utilized to strengthen physician-led models.
That team-based structure is gaining traction across healthcare. With growing surgical demands, facilities are increasingly using physician-led teams that include anesthesiologists, CRNAs and CAAs to address shortages and maintain capacity.
The operational case for CAAs
With more facility leaders evaluating the value provided by CAAs, many are examining their added benefits across three core operational pillars:
Expanding capacity without adding physicians: As surgical demand grows, many facilities struggle to recruit enough anesthesiologists. CAAs provide another staffing option that helps expand capacity while maintaining physician-led care.
Lower recruitment costs: With projected shortages continuing into the next decade, competition for anesthesiologists remains intense. Building a care team that includes both anesthesiologists and CAAs can make recruiting easier and more cost-effective while expanding the pipeline of clinicians available to provide care.
Expansion of CAA practice states: CAA practice continues to expand across the country. Recent legislation in Tennessee and Virginia, along with ongoing efforts in California and Kansas, is increasing access to CAAs and giving more health systems another way to strengthen their anesthesia workforce.
The big picture
For facilities, the value of incorporating CAAs extends beyond salary considerations. CAAs are increasingly being recognized as scalable workforce solutions that strengthen anesthesia care teams, improve operating room efficiency and expand case capacity. And if leaders aren’t actively evaluating CAAs as part of their long-term anesthesia staffing plan, they’re likely falling behind.
The future of anesthesia staffing isn’t team-based by default, but by design. Ready to explore how CAAs fit into your facility’s anesthesia strategy? Contact us so we can evaluate your unique goals and needs.
About the author
Kyle Hadley
Vice President, Anesthesia
Kyle started his career at LocumTenens.com in 2009 in the accounting department, but his desire to serve customers directly guided him to a career in sales. He has held various roles including senior account executive, managing director and associate vice president. He was named vice president of the anesthesia division in January 2021, and in that role, he focuses on strategic initiatives and operations to serve a growing market.
Kyle graduated with his B.B.A. in finance and accounting from the University of West Georgia. He has been named producer of the month and manager of the month several times, and he’s also a Max Award Winner, won Manager of the Year in 2018 and was named a partner at the company in 2019. When he’s not working, Kyle enjoys spending time with his wife, Louisa, and his two sons, Gil and Law, preferably outside.
