April 17, 2000
A proposed government regulation has some anesthesiologists upset.
The plan would allow trained nurses to deliver anasthestics during surgery, and the doctors think that's a bad idea.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates explains why.
Computerized equipment has never been better. And new generation anesthetic drugs are so safe now that patients are almost guaranteed a positive outcome.
That's why specifically trained nurses believe they can do the job alone in a surgical setting without the supervision of an anesthesiologist. In fact they want Medicare to modify its rules allowing a nurse anesthetist to practice independently - taking over the job.
But anesthesiologists are fighting back, claiming patients prefer the 12-year trained M.D. pumping anesthestics into their body.
Russell Petersen, M.D. / Anesthesiologist: "IF YOU EVER HAD SURGERY OR IF OUR GOVERNOR HAD SURGERY OR IF THE PRESIDENT HAD SURGERY - YOU CAN GUARANTEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE HEALTHY - WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS A SIMPLE CASE - THAT ANESTHETIC WOULD BE PERFORMED BY A BOARD CERTIFIED PHYSICIAN ANESTHESIOLOGIST."
"SO WHY SET UP A TWO-TIERED SYSTEM WHERE HCFA WILL ALLOW NURSE ANESTHESISTS WITH LESS EDUCATION TO DO OLDER, SICKER PATIENTS."
But The American Association of Nurse Anesthesists say they can do the job while saving patients and their insurance companies money.
For Medicare, that's a tremendous benefit. In fact, many rural hospitals are already using independent nurse anesthesists. But, even if the procedure is adopted, big city hospitals like LDS say they will not change their policy. An anesthesiologist will be present in all surgeries.
Dr. Donald Doty, the Chief of Surgery at LDS Hospital, says he would not perform this kind of surgery without an M.D. anesthesiologist at his side.
Dr. Doty: "KIND OF LIKE BEING IN A FOXHOLE. YOU WANT TO BE IN THEIR WITH A FRIEND."
