Hospital Receives 30 Day Notice From Anesthesia Group

Fallout of a business partnership can be devastating. Premier Anesthesia can provide a fast solution.

The Hospital Needed a Solution, Fast

The facility's contract with its anesthesia providers had run out and the group was going month-to-month with the hospital. One day, the providers gave the hospital notice: They were out in 30 days.

There was no permanent staff at the facility to coordinate how the department would move forward. All kinds of questions came up: How will this affect our quality of care? How can we keep our ORs going? How can we maintain our level of patient safety? If we turn to temporary staffing, how much will it cost?

The Premier Anesthesia Solution

When Premier Anesthesia's action team hit the ground, they had less than 30 days to stabilize the situation. The Chief CRNA says, "When the contract was awarded, all the wheels were put into motion. Premier immediately started identifying staff." Every day, the hospital needed a minimum of three anesthesiologists and seven CRNAs to keep its seven ORs running smoothly. By the beginning of the month, Premier Anesthesia had recruited six of the eight-and-a-half CRNAs required to maintain the level of service and one of the permanent physicians of the four-and-a-half necessary. A second doctor started the following month. A third doctor started two months later.

Premier Anesthesia Results

Here's a question: How did Premier save the hospital loads of money in locums costs, keep the ORs running at top capacity and ensure patient safety? The answer is simple. Premier Anesthesia has one of the best recruiting capabilities in the country. This allowed Premier Anesthesia's team to sign on high-quality providers and keep the temporary staff to a minimum. The hospital uses its anesthesia resources efficiently, with the Chief CRNA communicating with schedulers and staff daily for the right coverage day in, day out.

"We have something very special going on now… We have the preeminent anesthesia group in the area, customized service and it's a great place for staff to work," says the Chief CRNA. "The philosophy is: 'We will treat you right, we're very transparent and we're making sure your needs are met, as well as the needs of the hospital.'"

Patients rely on hospitals, even when facilities are in the throes of a crisis. People still need surgery. Their surgeons need access to ORs staffed with anesthesia providers. "First and most important, Premier corporate and the leadership group have stressed it was a partnership," the Chief CRNA says. "This is a community hospital and for the community's sake, we can't stay idle."

Premier Anesthesia has the answers that can propel hospitals out of crises and back into productive, efficient OR service.