AHA supports Colorado Opt-Out Decision

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

As you may already be aware, the Colorado Society of Anesthesiologists (CSA) and the Colorado Medical Society (CMS) have filed an appeal in the Colorado Court of Appeals, seeking reversal of the lower court decision upholding Colorado's opt-out from the federal supervision requirement.

The AANA has learned that the American Hospital Association (AHA) has filed alegal brief in opposition to the CSA and CMS, supporting the governor's choice to opt-out. The AHA's brief states that "[t]he opt out will improve access to health care for rural Coloradans," and argues that "[h]ealth care providers are well-positioned to determine what anesthesia delivery arrangements will best serve the local population."

In addition, the AHA notes that "[w]here a governor, in consultation with the Boards of Medicine and Nursing, determines that allowing CRNAs to administer anesthesia without requiring physician supervision is in the best interests of the State and consistent with State law, that exercise of the governor's discretion should be upheld."

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Specializes in STICU, MICU.

Are you a CRNA in Colorado?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Are you a CRNA in Colorado?
No, I just reposted some of the top articles from the AANA newsletter.
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Specializes in CRNA.
The AANA has learned that the American Hospital Association (AHA) has filed alegal brief in opposition to the CSA and CMS, supporting the governor's choice to opt-out.

The AHA has a history of supporting CRNAs-and it has been very important. CRNAs need to remember that we they are asked to do something like document the time of the preop antibiotic. Maybe it's not important to me and my anesthetic, but it is important to the hospital administration.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

This article explains a lot of the issues. I don't see these issues ever being completely resolved. One of my MDA friends and colleague summarized it best when he stated "we can all work together as long as CRNAs know their place". His meaning was clear as long as MDAs are in charge and have the final say so in everything then we can work together. I told him I wasn't Florence Nightingale and didn't buy into that sort of team work concept.

Health Economics, Policy and Law (2011), 6, 237–264

& Cambridge University Press 2010 doi:10.1017/S1744133110000162

Cooperation and conflict between very similaroccupations: the case of anesthesia

DAVID E. KALIST

Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA, USA

NOELLE A. MOLINARI

Research Economist, Department of Economics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

STEPHEN J. SPURR*

Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

Abstract: This article examines the features of a labor market in which thereare two professional groups that both cooperate and directly compete with

each other: certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and anesthesiologists(MDAs). We examine how the relative numbers of these two types of anesthesiaproviders, and differences in regulation, affect the earnings of CRNAs, and theextent of supervision of CRNAs by MDAs. We find that both the earnings, andthe likelihood of medical supervision of CRNAs, are closely determined by theirmarket share. As the market share of CRNAs increases from 0% to 50%, thegains to MDAs from restricting competition increase; over this range thelikelihood that CRNAs are supervised increases and their expected earningsdecline. However, as the CRNAs’ market share increases beyond 50%, the

costs to MDAs of anticompetitive measures become too large, therefore, theprobability of supervision declines, and the earnings of CRNAs increase.

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