The demand for anesthesia providers has been outpacing supply for years, creating challenges for healthcare systems across the country. Shortages have become so pronounced that many organizations are struggling to maintain stable operations and meet patient care demands. Reflecting on this growing issue, Dr. Mohammed Minhaj, Chair of Anesthesia at Endeavor Health, shared his perspective:
"Everybody knows what's going on in anesthesiology right now, with the supply and demand mismatches ridiculously imbalanced," shared Dr. Minhaj
At the Medicus-hosted panel discussion at Becker's CEO + CFO Roundtable, Dr. Minhaj discussed how his team at Endeavor Health addressed their own anesthesia provider shortages. He outlined the pressing challenges they faced and the innovative strategies they implemented to stabilize operations and build a sustainable anesthesia workforce.
The Challenges of an All-MD Model
Anesthesiologist shortages are a growing challenge for healthcare systems nationwide. 81% of U.S. counties lack an active anesthesiologist, and a projected shortfall of up to 6,300 anesthesiologists is anticipated by 2036. For Dr. Minhaj and his team, anesthesiologist shortages significantly impacted the health system’s operations, reducing its operating room capacity from 30–32 rooms to the mid-20s.
Reflecting on the limitations of a physician-only model, Dr. Minhaj stated,"You think back to stability, sustainability, and scalability. There's no scalability with just a physician-only model, right? If somebody calls in sick, you're basically closing a room. And it's not like anybody right now has extra people lying around until they pick up those absences.".
Adding to the strain, extended surgical days frustrated both surgeons and proceduralist nurses as operations ran longer and delays became routine. As Dr. Minhaj explained, "What ended up occurring is that that was just not sustainable, from the hospital perspective.".
Transitioning to an Employed Anesthesia Care Team Model
To address anesthesiologist staffing shortages, Dr. Minhaj and his team made the decision to transition from an outsourced all-MD model to an employed anesthesia care team model. This strategic shift would introduce CRNAs into a system that had previously relied exclusively on physicians, with plans to eventually include SRNAs and anesthesiology residents as part of a long-term workforce pipeline.
The decision also aimed to create scalability, which was difficult under the physician-only model. Dr. Minhaj and his team recognized the cultural challenges associated with integrating CRNAs into the practice but understood the urgency of adapting to the growing anesthesiologist workforce shortage. "The reality is, it's like you take a look at the (Medicus) white paper if you haven't already," Dr. Minhaj added, "There's no shortage of jobs in this country right now. If you're a physician, CRNA, or SRNA, you can find a job in this country and in pretty much any state that you want if you are qualified.".
This transition also reflects broader workforce trends. Employment for anesthesiologists is projected to grow by 2.6% from 2022 to 2032, with approximately 1,000 job openings annually. CRNA employment is expected to increase even faster, growing 9% over the same period, with an average of 4,500 openings each year. These projections underscore the value of adopting a flexible staffing model—one designed to address current gaps while ensuring the team is well-positioned to meet the growing demand for anesthesia providers.
Learn more about the Anesthesia Provider Shortage here.
Leveraging the Medicus Transition Program
To successfully transition the anesthesia program from an outsourced all-MD model to an employed anesthesia care team model, Dr. Minhaj and his team recognized the need for a strategic and dependable approach. That's when they found the Medicus Transition Program.
"We needed not only about 20 physicians but also 20 CRNAs coming into a practice that had never had CRNAs before," explained Dr. Minhaj.
The Medicus Transition Program provided the interim healthcare staffing framework needed to stabilize operations while allowing Endeavor Health to focus on recruiting and onboarding permanent staff. By leveraging Medicus, Dr. Minhaj, and his team, we were able to ensure continuity of care for patients during the transition and laid the foundation for a sustainable workforce.
"Bringing in Medicus really helped us transition," said Dr. Minhaj. "That transition plan and project with Medicus was actually ideal. It allowed us to focus more on the recruiting aspect of permanent employees while knowing we had the safety of having the people we needed to take care of the patients we were responsible for.".
A Model for Scalability and Sustainability
The shift to an anesthesia care team model has redefined Endeavor Health's approach to anesthesia shortages. By adopting this model and leveraging the Medicus Transition Program, Dr. Minhaj's team was able to restore operating room capacity to 100%, ensuring uninterrupted surgical schedules and patient care. Additionally, the program enabled the successful recruitment and onboarding of both physicians and CRNAs, building a robust and sustainable workforce.
Dr. Minhaj's experience demonstrates how healthcare organizations can effectively address anesthesia shortages by combining innovative care models with strategic interim healthcare staffing partners. This approach not only stabilizes the clinical workforce but also improves operational efficiency, aligning resources with patient care needs and long-term organizational goals.
Interested in learning more about addressing anesthesia provider shortages? Download our anesthesia market trend report to explore actionable strategies and solutions:
The Anesthesia Provider Shortage
