Looking for Opportunity in the Face of Adversity

For many of us, 2020 was the year that wasn’t. None of the usual and familiar family rituals happened. Nothing was the same after March 15. There was no Memorial Day barbeque, no Fourth of July fireworks, no Labor day celebration of the end of the summer. Thanksgiving and Christmas were somehow a virtual imitation of once important days of celebration and joy. No, 2020 was the year we stayed at home, practiced social distancing and never left home without a mask. Let us hope that vaccinations bring hope and reunification.

In a strange way, 2020 was also a wakeup call, a time to step back and take stock. We have often said that the goals of an anesthesia practice are stability, predictability and security; but for a period of months there was no stability, no predictability and little security. As the pandemic unfolded, the world of anesthesia seemed to descend into chaos. Contracts were canceled. Companies talked about filing for bankruptcy and the rest us scrambled to keep the doors open. Isn’t it interesting how such challenges often give rise to great new beginnings? It is a great tribute to the American spirit of innovation and enterprise that we not only survive such times, but come out stronger.

It is to this spirit of taking stock, assessing options and rebuilding anew that we dedicate this issue of the Communiqué. We view this as a time of opportunity and renewal. To this end, we have compiled an interesting collection of articles to help you assess your current situation and your future options.

Bart Edwards and Jody Locke lead off with an exhaustive review of the financial and strategic impact of the Covid virus on the specialty of anesthesia. Will Latham shares some very practical advice about managing a large group in times of dramatic change. Attorney Mark Weiss then explores some of the critical dimension of management strategy we should all be pondering. Attorneys Jenna Singleton and Askey Watson provide some very important updates on a very technical issue relating to clinical opportunities you might want to explore. Jeff Peters and Derek Fine, MD share a wealth of insights about ways to enhance your value to the hospital. And lastly, George Kanaly and Jody Locke walk you through the complex issues related to practice aggregation.

I am especially grateful to all our authors for the wealth of information they have shared with us. I hope you find these interesting articles as compelling and relevant to our current situation as I do.

With best wishes,

Tony Mira
President and CEO