Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) Update

The Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) was formally established in 1985 after the first organizational meeting at the ASA annual meeting on October 29, 1984. Drs. Burton Epstein, Bernard Wetchler, Surindar Kallar and others played a major role. The society was set up to foster safe practices in ambulatory anesthesia and provide a forum for dialogue between anesthesia providers and others working in a variety of settings to promote research, education and participate with ASA in promoting its policies and programs for the efficient care of patients in an ambulatory setting. Since then, this need-recognized vision of our leaders has significantly blossomed. Ambulatory surgery has become a living reality to the extent that in the United State, over 50 percent of surgical procedures are currently done either in an office-based or ambulatory setting. Indeed, besides high patient satisfaction and increased efficiencies in care, advances in technology and anesthesia have made...