nother significant milestone has been accomplished by the anesthesiologist assistant (AA) profession. AAs are now officially licensed to work in the nation’s capital. In 2002 the D.C. Board of Medicine decided that it was appropriate for hospitals there to employ AAs, and it issued appropriate guidelines. The law creating AA licensure was passed by the D.C. Council in 2004, and the regulations were written last year. The actual licensing was approved this year.

So far, seven AAs work in D.C. Frederick Finelli, M.D., President of the Medical Staff of Washington Hospital Center and Chair of the D.C. Board of Medicine, says they will fill a major need.

“We have had a shortage of anesthesia providers for awhile,” Dr. Finelli said. “AAs are helping to alleviate that shortage.”

AAs are now licensed to work in 10 areas (nine states and the District of Columbia). They also can practice in six other states under “delegatory authority,” meaning they are specifically requested by hospitals or physician anesthesiologists.

“States are recognizing our value as health care providers,” according to Ellen Allinger, President of the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA) <www.anesthetist.org>. “This is because of our ability to fill the need for providers in a highly skilled manner as part of the Anesthesia Care Team. Our track record of safety speaks for itself as more states are welcoming us.”

AAAA is a nonprofit association of graduates from accredited training programs specializing in the science and clinical practice of anesthesiology. AAAA establishes and maintains professional standards fostering and encouraging continuing education and research to all graduate AAs and enrolled students of accredited programs.