VA seeks to replace physicians with nurses for anesthesia care

JACKSON, Tenn. — Anesthesiologists call on Americans to stop the Department of Veterans Affairs from replacing physicians with nurses in surgery.

9 out of 10 veterans believe they should continue to receive the same quality of anesthesia care available to civilians in the nation’s top hospitals, according to a nationwide survey by the American Legion.

Yet, a new proposal by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would needlessly replace anesthesiologists with nurse anesthetists in surgery and endanger veterans’ health and lives.

“They are entitled to, and they deserve, the highest quality of anesthesia care. So, to be in a situation where they would not have a physician supervising their anesthesia care in the VA system does place them at an increased risk,” said Dr. Ron Harter, President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Data that shows anesthesia is safest when a physician anesthesiologist is involved, including independent, peer-reviewed research finding that the presence of a physician anesthesiologist in surgery prevented 6.9 excess deaths per 1,000 cases in which a complication occurred.

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