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Distribution of US anesthesia providers and services
Michael D Fallacaro1, Theresa Ruiz-Law
1Department of Nurse Anesthesia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va., USA.
AANA Journal
|April 22, 2004
Summary
Anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) primarily practice in urban areas. A significant number of U.S. counties lack both types of anesthesia providers, predominantly in rural regions.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Medical Geography
Background:
- Anesthesia provider distribution is crucial for healthcare access.
- Understanding geographic disparities in anesthesia services is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the correlation between anesthesia provider type (anesthesiologist vs. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist [CRNA]) and their rural or urban distribution in the U.S.
- To identify counties lacking anesthesia providers.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of county-level data from multiple databases.
- Assumption that providers practice and reside in the same geographic designation (rural/urban).
Main Results:
- 91.6% of anesthesiologists and 81.4% of CRNAs practice in metropolitan counties.
- 18.6% of CRNAs and 8.4% of anesthesiologists practice in nonmetropolitan counties.
- 843 U.S. counties (97% nonmetropolitan) have neither anesthesiologists nor CRNAs.
Conclusions:
- Anesthesia provider distribution is heavily concentrated in urban areas.
- A substantial number of rural counties lack access to both anesthesiologists and CRNAs.
- Geographic disparities in anesthesia provider availability require further investigation and potential intervention.