Healthcare delivery cost and anesthesiologists: Time to have a greater role and responsibility

摘要

With the advancement of technology and health sciences,health care delivery costs are steadily increasing.This affects both households and governments.Unfortunately,the present truth is that health has become an essential but unaffordable commodity.This is very concerning.Quality,up-to-date,costeffective health care delivery is one of the prime objectives,and focuses on administration and health care authority.As the per capita spent on health from public/government funds is very poor in developing countries,the responsibility of cost-effective health care delivery falls primarily on the shoulder of the treating physicians.Anesthesiologists are becoming an indispensable part of health care delivery,having a diverse role in the emergency,critical care,pain,and perioperative care of patients.As the population ages,the need for surgical care is also increasing.Therefore,the anesthesiologist can also play a more significant role in delivering cost-effective health care,and minimize the cost without affecting the quality.This brief narrative review analyzes the current practice of anesthesiologists in two prime areas in the context of cost-savings:Preoperative investigation and low/minimal flow anesthesia.