Anesthesia Tips for the New Decade

I am happy to share with you another issue of our quarterly Communiqué. As in the past, we have compiled a most interesting collection of authors and topics. These are challenging times for anesthesia practices across the country, and who knows what the new year will bring?

We begin with a very thoughtful piece by Mark Weiss, JD about the impact of the company model. His article, New Cases, New Tools in the Fight Against the “Company Model” Kickback Scheme, is just one more example of how non-anesthesia practices try to profit from their relationship with their anesthesia provider. It is a critical topic, and Mark’s piece is particularly insightful.

Our own Jody Locke penned the second article, What Determines the Cost of Anesthesia Care?, which examines a critical component of today’s anesthesia practice. Increasingly, cost has become the key determinant in hospital contract negotiations. Obviously every situation is unique, but there are some good templates here for your consideration.

Returning author, Will Latham, offers some very practical ideas for strategic planning in Chaos to Clarity: Resolving Strategic Issues. Will brings such a vast body of experience in the management of anesthesia practices. If you have never held a strategic planning retreat, this is a great place to start.

New first-time author, Justin Vaughn, tackles the timely challenge of succession planning with Passing the Baton: Grooming the Next Generation of Group Leaders. So many practices have great leadership and management today, but who will lead and manage them in the future? This is one of the truly critical issues most anesthesia groups need to address.

Funding a Private Investment Opportunity: Practical Tips for Physicians is brought to us by Cary Zimmerman, Esq. and Kathryn Hickner, Esq. They have offered a most interesting set of suggestions and considerations for investment opportunities for our readers. There is a plethora of good advice here.

We hope you enjoy this issue and these different perspectives. That is our goal—to keep you informed with regard to the ever-changing anesthesia landscape and up to date with insights and strategies that will help you survive and thrive in 2020. As always, if there are specific topics that you would be interested in seeing in the Communiqué, please let us know.

Will you be at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Practice Management Conference 2020 in Las Vegas? We will be there in booth #317. Stop by and say hello!

With best wishes,

Tony Mira
President and CEO