Advancing Anesthesia Management for the Future

At CCI Anesthesia, we’re proud to be at the forefront of changes in the anesthesia management industry. Quality care resulting in positive patient outcomes, community support, provider well-being and financial transparency are at our core. 

Here, we’ll explore changes likely to occur in the anesthesia management industry over the coming decade, including a shift toward localized providers, increased data-driven decisions and improved operational and financial transparency as the healthcare industry moves toward a more patient-centric model of care.

Shift Towards Localized, High-Quality Care Providers

As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, having high-quality systems in place means nothing without hands-on, reliable care providers. At CCI Anesthesia, we’re leading the charge to ensure that qualified anesthesia professionals are available at small-to-midsize community hospitals. 

We understand that patients feel more comfortable working with people who are a part of their community, and it’s important to us to create long-term relationships with both healthcare organizations and the communities in which we serve. The shift toward localized providers doesn’t just help patients feel more comfortable with their care; it also works to ensure that community hospitals are staffed with anesthesia professionals working to improve patient outcomes.

Increasingly Data-Driven Anesthesia Care

Accurate, real-time data makes it easier for anesthesia professionals to provide top-level care, and the next decade will likely see a boost in the use of data to drive anesthesia-related decisions. At CCI Anesthesia, our Merlin system provides data to boost efficiency, improve anesthesia care’s operational aspects and create more positive patient outcomes. As data systems become more efficient and artificial intelligence systems become more accurate at predicting trends, anesthesia management will further become streamlined.

Increased Focus on Financial and Operational Transparency

Over the next decade, the anesthesia management industry will move toward a more transparent model in operations and finance, building trust with partners and creating an environment where healthcare organizations and anesthesia management companies can work toward mutual goals.

CCI President Alex Gorecki believes that rather than focusing on the needs of private investors, working toward common goals is a critical factor for both anesthesia management companies and healthcare organizations. Focusing on client needs first is essential to improving patient outcomes.

“CCI Anesthesia is committed to not taking Venture Capital investors into the organization,” Gorecki said. “We are privately held, and the primary reason for that is when you take on Venture Capital, you have these competing interests that seem to appear: do you satisfy the margins of the investors, or are you focused on the needs of the client? In our case, we choose to focus entirely on the client in meeting their needs and expectations.”

This requires shifting away from focusing on profit margins and open communication and discovering ways anesthesia management organizations and healthcare organizations can support one another. 

CCI Anesthesia Managing Partner Kurt Zumwalt echoed these sentiments, stating, “If you’re going to have a true partnership, and that’s what we strive for, you’ve got to be an open book. You’ve got to share what you’re making in terms of revenue… all of our contracts, the revenue of the hospital for anesthesia, it’s theirs, it’s not ours. We’re managing it, they get reports, they get as much detail they want to know on the revenue… on the other side, on the budget side, they see what we’re spending, so they know what our bottom line is. It’s transparent. And if I’m looking for long-term relationships, not short-term, and… since 2004 it’s worked quite well. So, if you’re just open, honest, and work through that, you’ll figure it out.”

Strengthening Community and Rural Hospital Support

Community matters and many anesthesia management organizations are expected to follow CCI Anesthesia’s lead in tailoring services to meet the needs of small-to-midsize hospitals

According to CCI Anesthesia’s Chief Anesthesiologist, Dr. Brian Schmutzler, “Large national groups really seem to be having a mass exodus from the smaller hospitals and the rural hospitals… leaving hospitals high and dry. I also think, overall the quality from these companies has decreased… whereas I think CCI does a pretty good job of vetting providers, and we also use our providers from other locations to kind of manage when we have a shortfall somewhere else. So I think overall CCI is doing a very good job keeping all of the practices whole, whereas the larger national companies seem to be pulling out of a lot of locations.”

People in rural areas deserve the same excellent healthcare as those in more populated areas, and anesthesia management companies will begin to ensure that their services meet the needs of all patients, not just those who receive care at larger hospitals.

Prioritizing Clinical Autonomy and Work-Life Balance

Clinical autonomy and supportive work environments are vital to helping anesthesia professionals avoid burnout. Over the coming decade, anesthesia management organizations are likely to provide increasingly competitive pay alongside flexible scheduling options to attract high-level talent. This shift benefits providers and hospitals, helping to retain excellent care professionals. 

Reach Out Today

At CCI Anesthesia, we know what it takes to create reliable, productive, patient-focused teams that you can depend on. We’d love to talk with you about our services. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation and learn more.