CHRISTUS-Spohn hospital is asking the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists (TSA) to cease and desist interviews and statements to the media concerning the ongoing controversy into its anesthesia services model, an official with the TSA confirmed on Monday.
The request follows revelations last week that the 3,000+ member society is asking the Texas Medical Board to investigate whether the hospital, and its new anesthesia services provider, "EmergencHealth," are "placing profit over patient safety by pushing physicians out of hospitals and replacing them with lesser-trained practitioners."
TSA President Dr. Girish Joshi told Chief Investigative Reporter Rick Spruill on Friday that, given Spohn’s status as a Level II Trauma facility, the ratio of physician anesthesiologists to Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) is a matter of concern.
It’s information that neither Spohn, nor EmergencHealth, have been forthcoming about.
"This hospital is a level two trauma center, which requires that a physician anesthesiologist be present in the hospital. But, when we see the job advertisement for the CRNAs, which says there’s minimal supervision, we are wondering what’s going on," Joshi told us on Friday.
A CHRISTUS Health official tells us they disagree with the TSA’s views on this matter.
