Workforce issues were a key concern in health care in 2021, and they continue to be a focus of attention among clinical specialties in 2022. Relevant to anesthesiology were headlines about potential shortages of anesthesiologists, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs). The concern for potential workforce shortages exists despite a record-setting number of physicians entering anesthesiology residency programs in each of the last five years (ASA Monitor 2021;85:40-1). In addition, the growth rate in the number of CRNAs and CAAs continues to outpace the growth rate in the number of anesthesiologists. Given the elevated competition for anesthesia professionals among academic medical centers, large national group practices, and smaller regional and local practices, I was curious about where new anesthesia professionals initially practice.
I identified a sample of “new” anesthesia professionals in 2021 based on new National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) present in the 11 Centers...
