ASA Responds to Negative New York Times Editorial

The New York Times editorial was supportive of nurses practicing independently of anesthesiologists and discussed the potential cost-savings to health care in general if nurses are empowered to provide anesthesia independently.

The ASA put a robust response plan in action, including a series of Letters to the Editor and an Op-Ed from ASA members, as well as other concerned medical specialty societies such as the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association.

ASA's formal response to the New York Times editorial received top-placement in the Sunday print version of the New York Times. The letter to the editor ran alongside two other letters from ASA members. Thank you to all members who submitted responses. Rarely are so many letters representing the same side of an issue printed. The Hill reporter Mike Lillis also provided a forum for ASA to respond to the Times editorial. Read ASA's response here.