AAs are the key to our future

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Soleus

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Haven’t posted on here in a hot minute but had to come on here to spread the word, actually one word, two letters: AA.

AAs (Anesthesiologist Assistants) are the key to the future of our profession ladies and gents. The continued national onslaught from the CRNA nursing lobby trying to state “equivalent care,” PhDs in nursing, calling themselves “nurse anesthesiologist,” and advocating for sole and independent practice has a single destination with our (Anesthesiologist) profession in mind: going the way of the dinosaur.

AAs are governed by the American College of Physicians so there can never be independent practice. They are exactly what we need to do our job: well trained technicians that do what they’re instructed and don’t have an inferiority complex pent up from years of doctor hate.

We have been playing our cards all wrong. We need to fight fire with fire. Publish a study or two or more stating equivalency of practice between AAs and CRNAs. Start up a ton of AA schools and flood the market with a cheaper and equivalent if not better option. Go to the money hungry hospital CEOs and tell them “we wanna save money too. We will go to an all Anesthesiologist-AA practice model and save the hospital tons of money all while providing equivalent or better care.”

This is the key my friends.

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Haven’t posted on here in a hot minute but had to come on here to spread the word, actually one word, two letters: AA.

AAs (Anesthesiologist Assistants) are the key to the future of our profession ladies and gents. The continued national onslaught from the CRNA nursing lobby trying to state “equivalent care,” PhDs in nursing, calling themselves “nurse anesthesiologist,” and advocating for sole and independent practice has a single destination with our (Anesthesiologist) profession in mind: going the way of the dinosaur.

AAs are governed by the American College of Physicians so there can never be independent practice. They are exactly what we need to do our job: well trained technicians that do what they’re instructed and don’t have an inferiority complex pent up from years of doctor hate.

We have been playing our cards all wrong. We need to fight fire with fire. Publish a study or two or more stating equivalency of practice between AAs and CRNAs. Start up a ton of AA schools and flood the market with a cheaper and equivalent if not better option. Go to the money hungry hospital CEOs and tell them “we wanna save money too. We will go to an all Anesthesiologist-AA practice model and save the hospital tons of money all while providing equivalent or better care.”

This is the key my friends.
I sincerely wonder if the ship has sailed already at this point...
 
I sincerely wonder if the ship has sailed already at this point...

That's the problem when such decisions are made by the stroke of a legislative pen by people who are too dumb (or feign ignorance) to know the difference. But You can be assured these legislators aren't getting CRNA solo care when they get surgery
 
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I frequently see in anesthesia forums that ppl aren't as worried about midlevel encroachment because they have been dealing with CRNAs for decades unlike in other specialities which is a new trend. Plus, also the fact there is so much job out there for both CRNA and MDs that midlevel encroachment doesn't concern anesthesiologist unlike in EM/FM.
 
To provide a counterpoint, this was the same tune PAs used to sing when NPs were threatening to take over (and NPs have arguably done so successfully in a lot of specialties). Here recently, PAs have wanted to dissociate and be called “physician associates” with some of them lobbying for independent practice as well, under the guise of “keeping up” with the independent practice NPs.

Color me a pessimist, but I don’t see a longterm solution to this. I’ve worked with both, btw, and the AA students were alarmingly unprepared for anything above ASA 1s/2s.
There's a difference between working with AA students and working with AAs who have completed their education. Many of the AA students are getting clinical exposure very early in their program. Some have previous clinical experience, some do not - not unlike most medical students coming right out of college. And of course 2020 screwed up the clinical education for students of all kinds.

AAs have been around for more than 50 years now. There has never been a movement for independent practice, and there won't be. Both Federal law and state law/regulation preclude independent practice. Their licensing is through medical boards, not nursing boards.

If a practice can manage MD-only, more power to them. None of us have an issue with that. But if you want a group of professionals that are ready to work with you rather than against you, consider the AA option. I don't know of any groups that have gotten rid of their AAs because they didn't think they were competent. I know a lot that preferentially hire AAs because they're team players.
 
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There's a difference between working with AA students and working with AAs who have completed their education. Many of the AA students are getting clinical exposure very early in their program. Some have previous clinical experience, some do not - not unlike most medical students coming right out of college. And of course 2020 screwed up the clinical education for students of all kinds.

AAs have been around for more than 50 years now. There has never been a movement for independent practice, and there won't be. Both Federal law and state law/regulation preclude independent practice. Their licensing is through medical boards, not nursing boards.

If a practice can manage MD-only, more power to them. None of us have an issue with that. But if you want a group of professionals that are ready to work with you rather than against you, consider the AA option. I don't know of any groups that have gotten rid of their AAs because they didn't think they were competent. I know a lot that preferentially hire AAs because they're team players.

I do think that AAAA needs to feature more prominently and should be actively promoted for practice in all 50 states. Of course thr AANA is fighting this for their selfish and ridiculous reasons
 
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I sincerely wonder if the ship has sailed already at this point...
I would respectfully disagree and actually argue this movement is just getting started if we want it too. I’ve heard more talk about AAs in recent months than at any point in my career and it’s not coincidence that this has coincided with the AANA pushing for more independent practice, introducing and branding themselves as doctors, etc.

The AANA and CRNAs fear it because they know AAs could end/limit them as a specialty, cause their pay to be reduced to compete, and immediately remove any leverage they have on the National level.
 
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I would respectfully disagree and actually argue this movement is just getting started if we want it too. I’ve heard more talk about AAs in recent months than at any point in my career and it’s not coincidence that this has coincided with the AANA pushing for more independent practice, introducing and branding themselves as doctors, etc.

The AANA and CRNAs fear it because they know AAs could end/limit them as a specialty, cause their pay to be reduced to compete, and immediately remove any leverage they have on the National level.
Hey, I support it for sure. I just wonder if its gonna work at this point...
 
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