Nurse anesthetists are happy with the proposal, which they say was a long time in coming.
Anesthesiologists oppose the proposal.
Anesthesiologists are better equipped to deal with emergencies that arise during anesthesia care, like cardiac arrest or dislodged breathing tubes, said Michael Scott, director of government and legal affairs for the American Society of Anesthesiologists. An MD receives significantly more training and has a much greater understanding of anesthesia care, he said. But several studies clearly demonstrate that patient outcomes are not improved when care is supervised by a physician, according to Foster. If the HCFA proposal goes into effect, the federal government would drop its requirement for physician supervision, but states may still require it. And hospitals will continue to uphold their own institutional regulations.