In a group setting, it is not unusual for individual anesthesiologists to function on their own rather than as a cohesive unit. In addition to the way most anesthesia groups are structured, day-to-day clinical demands often prevent physicians from investing sufficient time in implementing emerging best clinical and business practices.

Symptoms of leadership issues in anesthesia departments include:

• Lack of an action plan to address strategic and operational initiatives of the hospital
• Survey-readiness may be lacking.
• Clinician turnover forces the routine use of locum tenens.
• Anesthesia services and OR service needs are not aligned.

The Solution:  Unique and Specific Anesthesia Action Plan

Premier Anesthesia addresses leadership issues through a number of innovative tactics:

• Premier's management team develops a hospital-specific prescriptive anesthesia business plan which addresses operational issues, including strategic anesthesia business initiatives that are aligned with the facility's needs and plans.
• Premier's corporate quality assurance team implements a clinical evidence-based best practices program and clinical audits, including regulatory agency audit programs as necessary.
• All Premier Medical Directors are required to complete a management training program sponsored through the University of Alabama-Birmingham Graduate Program in Health Services Administration which equips each with improved management and leadership skills.
• Premier utilizes the strongest clinical recruitment platform in the industry through its affiliation with Jackson Healthcare to ensure staffing continuity and integrity for its clients.

"Premier Anesthesia as the Change Agent for Medical Leadership and Alignment"

Joe Kirk, Executive Vice President and
Richard O. Schooler, D.O., Chief Medical Officer

Freeman Health System, Joplin, Missouri