Questions to Ask about Your Anesthesia
Prior to Office-Based Surgery

CJA REVISED VERSION

The Office-Based Surgery setting where it is estimated that 20% of all surgeries now occur, is presently not subject to the New York State Department of Health's regulatory oversight. This is not to suggest that having surgery in the office setting is not the best option for you, but we believe you should do so in an informed way. The following questions are intended to assist you in this process.

1. Who will give the anesthetic? (If the physician, oral surgeon, dentist, or podiatrist is administering the anesthesia he or she should not, in our opinion, be actively involved in the surgical procedure at the same time when unconscious or deep sedation is administered because both tasks demand full attention to the patient by the provider.)

2. If a nurse gives the anesthetic, who will be supervising? (We believe that the practitioner providing supervision should be qualified by education and medical or professional training to prescribe the anesthetic and to recognize and direct treatment of medical emergencies should one occur during the administration of the anesthetic.)

3. What type of anesthesia will be used and what are the risks associated with it?

4. Is the anesthesia provider qualified and trained in Advanced-Cardiac Life Support?

5. Who will help me during recovery from the anesthesia? Are they qualified to recognize medical emergencies?

6. What are the qualifications of the staff members ?

7. What type of monitoring will be used? Is the anesthesia provider trained to use the monitoring equipment? Does the anesthesia equipment have the latest safety features? Is the equipment tested regularly to make sure it works properly? (New technology, including pulse oximetry and capnography should, in our opinion, be readily available.)

8. What emergency preparations and procedures will be in place?

9. If a child is having anesthetic, is the office equipped with resuscitation equipment suitable for a child? Is the anesthesia provider qualified and trained in Pediatric Advanced-Cardiac Life Support?

10. No matter what type of anesthetic is used, is the office equipped with:
  • a defibrillator
  • extra oxygen
  • a fully stocked crash cart
  • an IV that will be in place in case of an emergency
  • C02 monitor
  • EKG

11. With respect to post-operative pain, who gives the prescription? Who do you call with pain problems?


For more information of Office-Based Surgery and Anesthesia, please check out the Anesthesia Safety Patient Foundation Newsletter, Spring 2000 issue, at:
http://www.apsf.org/resource_center/newsletter/2000/spring/ ;
and, in particular, the "Questions to Ask Before Accepting Office-Based Anesthesia."


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