Anesthesiology is a recognized specialty of medicine.
Anesthesia care personally performed or medically directed by an anesthesiologist, a physician who has completed an approved residency in anesthesiology, constitutes the practice of medicine. Certain aspects of anesthesia care may be delegated to other properly trained professionals. These professionals, medically directed by the anesthesiologist, comprises the Anesthesia Care Team. Such delegation and direction should be specifically defined by the anesthesiologist director of the Anesthesia Care Team and approved by the hospital medical staff. Although selected functions of overall anesthesia care may be delegated to appropriate members of the Anesthesia Care Team, responsibility and direction of the Anesthesia Care Team rest with the anesthesiologist.