Here are 10 trends and statistics showcasing how the anesthesia field is evolving:
1. Only 9% of ASC leaders said they plan to staff anesthesia through a traditional employment agreement in 2026. Forty-four percent said they expected to use an independent contractor with a stipend model in 2026, while 36% expect to use independent contractors without stipends.
2. CMS’ 2025 anesthesia conversion factor decreased by 2.20%, continuing a multiyear erosion of reimbursement that has reduced average anesthesia payment from $22.27 per unit in 2019 to $20.44 in 2024.
3. More than 40% of anesthesiologists said they were considering leaving their current roles within the next two years.
4. Recent projections indicate that by 2036, the country will be short 6,300 anesthesiologists.
5. Hospital systems and large national anesthesia groups continue to consolidate the specialty, creating competitive pressure and reducing leverage for independent practices.
6. Technology is transforming anesthesia care in ASCs, streamlining workflows, enhancing safety and expanding the possibilities for same-day complex procedures.
7. Anesthesiologists are facing rising malpractice insurance costs, largely driven by high-risk procedures and sometimes limited access to standard coverage.
8. Private equity’s presence in anesthesia has been the subject of several recent lawsuits and studies on healthcare costs as the specialty becomes increasingly consolidated.
9. ASCs are rewriting the anesthesia playbook, leaning more heavily on certified registered nurse anesthetists amid economic pressures and staffing shortages.
10. Nonoperating room anesthesia cases are expected to account for more than 50% of all anesthesia cases in the next decade, according to a report by the American Hospital Association and the American Society of Anesthesiologists.