While the eventual fate of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will be decided in the near future, by either the Supreme Court or the next Congress and Administration, what is not open for debate is that healthcare has changed. As the business of medicine evolves to accommodate the changes called for in the healthcare reform laws, so should anesthesiologists anticipate their place in the new environment. The physician group that is able to make informed decisions will be best positioned to evolve and thrive in this era of change. Just like the old Saturday morning cartoon said, “Knowledge Is Power”; by gathering, understanding and responding to information, anesthesiologists can be certain to meet the needs of their clients and proactively position themselves as a catalyst for change.One way of taking that proactive step is to use data to help shine a light on the inner workings of your anesthesia...

While the business of health care continues to evolve, there is perhaps no part of it changing faster than anesthesia. Numerous factors are quickly shifting the market towards an even more competitive and demanding landscape. The days of anesthesia groups simply providing clinical coverage in a hospital’s operating rooms are, for better or for worse, drawing to a close.As the expectations of hospitals for the types and levels of services to be provided by anesthesia are increasing, anesthesiologists now find themselves performing cases in non-traditional anesthetizing locations such as GI Suites, ECT and Electrophysiology. In addition, many anesthesiologists are expected to serve in roles not always seen as traditional for anesthesia, such as holding the broad responsibility for Peri-Operative Services, Pre-Surgical Testing processes, serving as leaders of hospital committees, etc.A continued shift in payor mix, to government payors that have long undervalued anesthesia services, has forced an increasing number of anesthesia...