A study in the February 2026 issue of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), documents a steady rise in surgical patients who are being treated with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), which it says highlights a “gap between current surgical pain practices and…

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A new study from Duke University School of Medicine suggests that preoperative stress checks can improve surgical outcomes for older adults. Duke claims the study is “one of the most in-depth looks at pre-surgery stress in the general geriatric surgical population.” The study, published in Anesthesiology, says that even modest stress can affect how older adults…

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North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA), which describes itself as the country’s “leading single-specialty anesthesia management company,” will provide anesthesia services at 123-bed acute care facility Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital of Newport News, Va., starting on Feb. 1, 2026. “NAPA brings tangible capabilities that advance quality and growth,” said Alan…

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Editor's Note When compared to general anesthesia, the use of monitored anesthesia care in invasive procedures resulted in a decreased risk for advanced postoperative complications, according to the results of a new retrospective investigation published December 17 in Anesthesiology News. Investigators leading the single-center study found that this benefit for…

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Editor's Note Ketamine tested for pain relief in a large, placebo-controlled, randomized trial posed side effects and did not support patient recovery after major surgery, according to findings published in the British Journal of Anesthesia and discussed in a December 3 news story from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Ketamine has…

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Editor's Note Consistent case volume is the lifeblood of any successful ambulatory surgical center (ASC), but one often overlooked limiting factor in driving ASC volume is the anesthesia group, according to Michael Bernard, MD, in the September 2025 issue of Surgical Business. Staffing shortages of anesthesia professionals are a major…

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Editor's Note NorthStar Anesthesia is expanding its reach across Georgia’s ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), reinforcing its strategy of pairing local clinical autonomy with scalable anesthesia services, an October 1 PR Newswire press release reports. NorthStar reportedly supports more than 60 ASCs statewide through a model focused on transparency, long-term relationships,…

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When it comes to treating chronic pain—or pain associated with surgery—clinicians are always looking for alternatives to opioids. “There are zero advantages to chronic opioid use,” says Earl Kilbride, MD, MHA, an orthopedic surgeon at the Austin Orthopedic Institute. While the US makes up about 4.4% of the global population,…

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Editor's Note High-volume joints and spine procedures in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) require more than a “healthy” patient—success hinges on rigorous screening, block-and-flow efficiency, tech-enabled standardization, and a culture where anyone can say “stop,” this session’s speakers said. Comprising Robert Bray, MD, FAANS, CEO and founding director of DISC Sports…

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Editor's Note Hospitals can reduce anesthesia costs by up to 30% and significantly curb provider burnout by embracing technology-enabled collaboration with anesthesiology practices, Surgical Directions August 27 reports. The report outlines how rising demand, workforce shortages, and variable pay structures have pushed anesthesia expenditures up sharply in recent years. Traditional…

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