According to the AAMC, by 2034 there is projected to be a shortage of anywhere between 38,000 to 124,000 physicians (asamonitor.pub/2Y4Pr6S). One critical group of specialists included in these physicians are anesthesiologists. Recently, the ASA Monitor conducted a phone interview with 2020 ASA President Mary Dale Peterson, MD, MSHCA, FACHE, FASA, to discuss the potential causes and impact of this looming shortage on anesthesiologists. When asked about the reasons for this potential shortcoming of anesthesiologists, Dr. Peterson replied, “This is a complex problem with a number of contributing factors, a major one of which is legislation that was passed more than 20 years ago – the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.”
Any potential shortage of anesthesiologists we are facing is complex and by no means the same all over the country. Some regions, such as rural ones, will likely be more heavily affected than those areas that have...
