CRNAs in Missouri

CRNAs administer more than 65 percent of the 26 million anesthetics given to patients in the United States each year.* CRNAs practice in a wide variety of settings in Missouri. These include:

• Hospitals
• Surgical Centers
• Outpatient Eye Clinics
• Dentist Offices
• Obstetrical Departments
• Podiatrist Offices
• Pain Services

There are currently 151 hospitals and surgery centers in the state of Missouri, and CRNAs work in 139 (or 92 percent) of these. CRNAs provide independent anesthesia services to 32 percent of those 139 medical centers. At least 71 percent of Missouri's rural hospitals and surgery centers rely solely on CRNAs for their anesthesia needs.

CRNAs provide excellent care to the constituents of Missouri, especially in those rural areas where good health care provisions are desperately needed. Without the expertise of Missouri CRNAs, many hospitals would be without anesthesia coverage.**

CRNAs and Health Care Reform in Missouri

Today's policy makers, insurance providers, HMO's, hospitals and managed care facilities are struggling to deal with the escalating costs of health care and the well-being of Missouri's uninsured.

CRNAs continue to provide cost-effective, high quality patient care for the state of Missouri. With federal and state reform taking place, the CRNA is a vital partner in keeping health care costs reasonable. Nurse Anesthesia remains a respected practice as it always has been

* AANA Membership Survey, 1994
** MoANA Membership Practice Setting Survey, 1993-94

www.moana.org