Written by: Shawn Michael DeRemer, MD and Gregg M. White, CRNA, MSAnesthesia Associates Northwest, LLC (AANW), Portland, ORHealth care delivery has gradually shifted from in-hospital to outpatient settings, most recently to physicians’ offices. In fact, in 2009 the number of office-based procedures in the United States numbered 12 million. Nevertheless, though outpatient surgery may be more convenient and financially beneficial for both doctors and patients, many physicians are not taking advantage of the full realm of possible procedures that could be offered in an office setting.In 2010, we decided to expand our own anesthesia management and staffing services business by helping physicians expand their practices. Our idea was to bring the surgical suite to physicians’ offices via a fully equipped van that would deliver all necessary resources — and also foster a “culture of safety.”WHAT WE NEEDEDWe went to task outfitting a slick- looking van with everything a physician might need...