Mayo Clinic proceedings
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Mayo Clinic proceedings · Oct 2001
Evidence of a current and lasting national anesthesia personnel shortfall: scope and implications.
To prove the existence of a current anesthesiologist shortage, and to project the balance of labor supply and demand in the future. ⋯ A substantive shortfall of anesthesia personnel exists in 2001 and will continue for years to come, fueled by changing population demographics, population health trends, and accelerating advancements in surgical technology, as well as growth in ambulatory and office-based surgery, pain medicine, and intensive care. In addition to focusing on financing, national health policy needs to address the adequacy of health care personnel resources for an aging population, in particular when they require surgery, are afflicted by painful conditions, or become critically ill.