Why is there an increased demand for anesthesiologists in hospitals across the US? The Covid-19 third wave that has hit several parts of the country has again exposed the physician shortage crisis within the healthcare system. It was further corroborated by a report published by the Association of American Medical Colleges(AAMC) that said that the United States could see an estimated shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034, in both primary and specialty care. The projection for anesthesiology, along with other specialties, is between 10,300 and 35,600 physicians. This shortage of anesthesia providers is likely to have an impact on the quality of care a patient receives. Without anesthesiologists, many surgical procedures may be delayed or performed under the care of CRNAs, and not a clinician. Hence, the demand for anesthesiologists is only going to rise in the years to come. Here are some other reasons why there is a spike in anesthesiologist vacancies in the US:

Backlog Of Elective Surgery Due to Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed systemic vulnerabilities in US healthcare. Between March 2020 to May 2020, there was a temporary ban on non-emergent and elective surgeries to reduce the risk of infections in patients and care providers and to conserve essential resources such as PPE Kits, hospital beds, ventilators, and ICU beds. As a result, there was a nationwide backlog of surgeries across the country, according to a McKinsey report.

Now, as Covid-19 makes a comeback with its delta variant, and a large portion of the population being vaccinated, there could be a rise in demand for outpatient and inpatient elective surgeries, and therefore anesthesiologists.

Anesthesiologist Burnout and Early Retirement

Healthcare workers have been heralded across the world as frontline warriors of the fight against COVID-19 and deservedly so. However, a large and looming impact of their roles has been on their mental health. Lately, there have been several reports, surveys, and articles on the burnout experienced by clinicians at large. About 60% of anesthesiologists are especially reported to be at the risk of burnout. This has led to several anesthesiologists deciding to step back and retire early. 

In House Hiring of Anesthesiologists

As an after-effect of COVID-19, there is an overall increase in the demand for surgical procedures in 2021,. This countrywide increase in caseload makes it cost-effective for hospitals to hire their own anesthesiologists rather than outsource. It provides the benefit of enhancing hospital control over billings and hours. Anesthesiologists have the opportunity to engage in leadership roles within healthcare systems to build their teams, create supportive environments, and design efficient processes when it comes to staffing. 

The field of anesthesiology and the demand for anesthesiologists are poised for growth. With various avenues and opportunities opening up, locum tenens is a great way to figure out how you wish to tap into this demand. Apart from giving you the ability to explore opportunities without a full-time commitment, here are a few more benefits of locum tenens for anesthesiologists:

Grow your career by working as an Anesthesiologist Locum Tenens

• Locum tenens gives new grads a unique opportunity to work on different assignments and make an informed choice about what career path they wish to choose. While at the same time, building their confidence and their resume.

• It makes the road to financial independence a lot shorter. In most cases, a resident fellow or new grad has student loan debt to pay off. Salaries are great for locum tenens. The extra income from working locum tenens helps in paying off these financial obligations.

• With expertise as an anesthesiologist that is in demand throughout the nation, locum tenens allows exploring which state or area suits one better without a long-term commitment of a full-time job. For example, you can live in places like Florida and work in other locations during part of the year. 

• It provides for an opportunity to bulk up the resume. As opposed to working in a single setup or a maximum of 2, anesthesiologist locum tenens can work in teaching clinics, ambulatory clinics, nursing homes, community hospitals, and more. 

If the above points have you impressed and intrigued about locum tenens jobs, click here to find the best anesthesiologist locum tenens opportunity for you!