As costs continue to rise, healthcare policymakers are balancing a mandate by their constituents to make the system more efficient and accessible, all while maintaining safe, high-quality service delivery.
Research suggests a CRNA-based anesthesia care model moves lawmakers a step closer to meeting that challenge.
Given that CRNAs are highly educated, advanced practice registered nurses who consistently deliver anesthesia to patients using the same procedures as physician anesthesiologists, allowing these professionals to practice to their full scope just makes sense.
A CRNA-based anesthesia care model makes sense from a risk management perspective:
Like physicians, CRNAs are responsible for securing their own liability coverage. The same legal principles that govern the liability of surgeons working with nurse anesthetists apply to surgeons working with anesthesiologists.
Furthermore, case law supports the fact that surgeons are no more liable when working with a CRNA than with an anesthesiologist. Today, CRNA professional liability premiums are 33 percent lower than 25 years ago, 62 percent lower when adjusted for inflation.
This is due in part, to the fact that the care delivered by CRNAs is extremely safe.
Expert Witness for Nurse Anesthesia Practice
The U.S. legal system treats nurse anesthetists as professionals who, because of their specialized education, training, and skills, are qualified to testify as expert witness to the standard of care for nurse anesthetists.
When courts need to establish the nurse anesthesia standard of care, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are qualified to articulate current professional standards and explain technical concepts.
Individuals who are not trained in the practice of nurse anesthesia cannot testify to the nurse anesthesia standard of care. Qualified CRNAs provide expert testimony to assist judges, juries, and other triers of fact to understand the evidence in a case and to make factual determinations, especially where the issues are beyond the comprehension or knowledge of a lay person.
CRNAs give expert testimony in various situations including, but not limited to, state regulatory board disciplinary proceedings, medical malpractice actions, and institutional peer review.
The following considerations apply to CRNAs who serve as expert witnesses on issues related to nurse anesthesia practice:
• The CRNA expert witness should currently be certified or recertified.
• The CRNA should be knowledgeable about the relevant standard of care.
• The CRNA should have expertise in the area in which he or she is testifying.
• The CRNA should accurately represent his or her qualifications, relevant background, and experience.
• Fees for expert testimony should be for time spent in preparing and giving testimony and should not be contingent upon the outcome of the legal action.
The Legal Nurse Consultants at Krug Consulting can help you locate a CRNA testifying expert for your case.
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