As Chair of the ASA Task Force on State Advocacy, I have enjoyed the opportunity to work closely with our dedicated staff within the Department of State Affairs. The office serves as a professional and knowledgeable resource for the advocacy needs of our state components.
So far in 2020, our State Affairs team members have dedicated significant time and resources to review upwards of 2,000 pieces of legislation and at least 1,000 proposed regulations. Through their diligence, they are able to assist state component societies as they work to protect patient safety across the country. As with previous years, component societies remain focused on physician-led anesthesia care, but at the same time must maintain an ever-vigilant eye toward emerging issues such as the misappropriation of physician titles by nurses.
Education prevailed over legislation in many states as lawmakers continued to value patient safety above politics and recognized that physician-led anesthesia...
