Support bill’s passage

We agree with Dr. Joshua Chance’s recent letter: Teamwork in health care is very important for patient safety. SB171 is not about the anesthesiologist’s role in Arkansas health care. It is about the relationship between the certified registered nurse anesthetist ( CRNA) and the physician working together to safely care for patients.

CRNAs provide 90 percent of all anesthetics in rural hospitals, 100 percent in critical- access hospitals in Arkansas. In 25 counties, supervision for CRNA anesthesia practice is not provided by anesthesiologists, but by other physicians who are highly skilled in their specialty but not as familiar with the specialized field of anesthesia. These physicians rely on the CRNAs for their anesthesia expertise. Don’t expect to find an anesthesia care team in rural hospitals; nearly two- thirds of Arkansas anesthesiologists are found in Pulaski and Faulkner counties.

SB171 addresses supervision, an outdated concept that raises unfounded liability concerns for nonanesthesiatrained physicians already stretched thin by the demands of modern health care. The good news is that a 2010 study published in the journal Health Affairs found that CRNA anesthesia was safe whether or not supervised by a physician. Better news for Arkansas’ budget is that removal of this barrier to CRNA practice can result in a more flexible, cost- effective model for anesthesia care, saving money for everyone.

Supervision of CRNAs, as addressed in SB171, deserves thoughtful and evidence- based discussion, not confusing statements. The citizens of Arkansas deserve better. Arkansas CRNAs strongly support passage of SB171. MARK DUNAVAN Marion Mark Dunavan is president of the Arkansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists.