Newswise — WASHINGTON, DC—Employers can improve patient access to quality healthcare and reduce costs by urging their health plans to use Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and other advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to their full scope of practice, said Juan Quintana, CRNA, DNP, MHS, during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 4th Annual Health Care Summit.
Quintana, who is president of the 49,000 member American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), stressed the importance of eliminating barriers to practice that currently limit or prevent plan beneficiaries from having access to safe, high quality, cost effective anesthesia and pain management services. CRNAs are experts in anesthesia care and pain management.
The summit explored the delivery of healthcare system reform and how strategies developed in the private sector can drive advancements throughout the entire healthcare delivery system.
“In today’s changing healthcare environment, patients want safe, high-quality healthcare delivered with personalized attention and at a lower cost,” said Quintana, who was a panelist during the discussion on “The Intersection of Economics and Wellbeing.”
“One solution that will help employers is to encourage the use of CRNAs and other advanced practice registered nurses. This will promote competition in the healthcare marketplace, support patient safety, and yield improved access and cost savings for employers and consumers nationwide,” said Quintana.
Landmark research published in Health Affairs and Nursing Economic$ in 2010 confirmed the safety and cost-effectiveness of CRNAs, who deliver approximately 40 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States.
“The AANA and its membership thank the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for encouraging ongoing dialogue about healthcare issues critical to consumers and providers alike,” said Quintana. “CRNAs are perfectly suited to meet today’s healthcare challenge of delivering safe, high-quality care, while helping to control rising healthcare costs. The Health Care Summit represents all aspects of the healthcare industry and hopefully the beginning of many solutions.”
Quintana is the owner of Sleepy Anesthesia Associates in Winnsboro, Texas, which provides anesthesia for rural hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. He is co-owner of ABC Consultants, LLC, an anesthesia billing company, also in Winnsboro. A CRNA for more than 15 years, Quintana received his doctorate of nursing practice degree from Texas Christian University and his master’s degree in health science from Texas Wesleyan University, both in Fort Worth.
About the American Association of Nurse AnesthetistsFounded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., the AANA is the professional organization for more than 49,000 nurse anesthetists across the United States. As anesthesia specialists, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) safely provide approximately 40 million anesthetics to patients each year for surgical, obstetrical, pain management, and trauma stabilization services. CRNAs deliver essential healthcare in thousands of communities and are able to prevent gaps in access to anesthesia services, especially in rural, inner-city, and other medically underserved areas of the country. They are highly valued in today’s healthcare environment because they deliver the same safe, high-quality anesthesia care as other anesthesia professionals but at a lower cost, helping to control rising healthcare costs. Additional information about the AANA and CRNAs is available at http://www.aana.com and http://www.aana.com/future-today.
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