Dr. John Vazquez | Source | Chief Medical Officer, Anesthesiology, VitalSolution, Ingenovis Health at Vit...

Primary care physicians are not the only doctors in short supply. Dr. John Vazquez, chief medical officer, Anesthesiology at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health Company, says there is a growing shortage of anesthesiologists, creating a slowdown in surgical procedures. “Seventy-five percent of large hospitals reported an increase in patients’ surgery wait time based, on availability of anesthesia care,” he told us. What’s worse, Vazquez says anesthesiologists are part of an aging workforce, with many approaching retirement age, which does not bode well for the future. “In 2020 there were 53,804 anesthesiologists practicing in the U.S., with an average age of 52.6 years, and 45% of anesthesiologists were older than 55,” he said. “Many older clinicians will move to part-time status and soon a large portion of the current supply could simply retire or semi-retire.”