Warmly Greeting and Thanking Our Anesthesia Team

GBMC has always had a very strong medical staff, comprised of a mix of private practicing and employed physicians and advanced practitioners. We are thankful for all our providers. Over the years, we have needed to employ more of our staff, as the economics of delivering care have changed.   

Today, I’m excited to talk about the latest specialty we have added to our group of employed providers: Anesthesiology. Often in healthcare, anesthesia services are contracted out, meaning a hospital works with another company to meet the anesthesia staffing needs of its operating rooms and procedural areas. GBMC had difficulty with staffing our operating rooms last summer and we decided to move to an employed model.  

Canceling or delaying surgeries has many negative impacts for patients, providers, and the healthcare system as a whole. If it were our loved one, we would want them to be able to get their surgery as planned, as soon as possible. We want the surgeons who use our facilities to rest assured that our staffing is adequate so that their cases continue according to plan. And our healthcare system relies on our surgical services running smoothly to thrive and continue caring for the community. 

We needed to build a new group, starting with about 10 anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists who were already working at GBMC and who wanted to continue to become employees. Under the guidance of our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. John Flowers, we worked with a consultant whose expertise was in   anesthesia start-up. We appointed Sanjay Trivedi, MD, as our interim Chair of Anesthesia. Dr. Trivedi worked closely with Meghan Chan, Senior Director of Surgical Services, to bring in temporary help through a locum tenens company and then hired new permanent providers. We are pleased to now have more than 40 employed anesthesiology physicians and CRNAs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists). And, as of September 1, we will no longer need to use contracted anesthesia providers to fill in any gaps within the schedule! 

As I reflect on the undertaking, this is a change that has truly touched all four of the aims that guide us at GBMC HealthCare:  

• Better health: We can reliably continue providing surgical services with a focus on safety and positive outcomes. 
• Better care: We can consistently provide surgical services in a timely manner, canceling fewer surgeries, leading to a better experience for patients. 
• Least waste: By eliminating high-cost contract labor and decreasing the number of canceled surgeries, we reduce financial risk to the health system (and reduce downstream cost to the consumer). 
• More joy: Those who provide the care are more satisfied knowing that staffing needs are being met and that they have the resources to do their jobs. Our anesthesia group’s morale is high, and they feel a sense of inclusion within the health system. 

Many people have helped us get back to having an exceptional Anesthesia team but in particular, I need to thank Dr. John Flowers; Dr. Sanjay Trivedi; Meghan Chan; Ken Griffith, lead nurse anesthetist; Dr. Joel Turner, Chair of Surgery; and all the anesthesia providers who have contributed to this successful transition!

Happy Women in Medicine Month!
September is Women in Medicine Month! I am grateful to the many talented women physicians, residents, and medical students, who are working to make healthcare more equitable! Please join me in honoring them during Women in Medicine Month. Be sure to follow GBMC's social media channels as we recognize our women physicians throughout September.