ASA Convenes 2nd Annual Rural Perioperative Symposium

On June 27, ASA’s Committee on Rural Access to Anesthesia Care hosted its 2nd annual Rural Perioperative Symposium, focused on a practical question rural hospitals face every day: “You want to do what—here?” The conversation centered on putting appropriate guardrails in place so rural patients receive the best possible care, whether that means safely supporting local surgical services or transferring complex cases to a tertiary center.

Speakers underscored that rural access does not mean doing everything everywhere. Instead, it requires matching resources, personnel, and patient risk to the setting. The discussion highlighted how rural hospitals rely on clear operational criteria to determine which procedures can be supported locally, how to manage cases that exceed available capabilities, and how to maintain reliable anesthesia coverage amid workforce and payment pressures.

These realities reinforce ASA’s advocacy priorities: sustainable anesthesia staffing models, fair payment structures, and policies that strengthen referral pathways and keep essential perioperative care available close to home.

Program Leadership and Speakers

1. Kenisha Muse, MD, FASA — Host, Baylor Scott & White; ASA Committee on Rural Access to Anesthesia Care
2. Zach Deutch, MD — Moderator, US Anesthesia Partners; ASA Monitor Editorial Board; Co host, ASA Central Line Podcast; ASA Committee on Rural Access to Anesthesia Care
3. Joanne M. Conroy, MD — CEO, Dartmouth Health System; 2024 Board Chair, American Hospital Association
4. Robert Wiley, MD — Chief Medical Officer, Hendrick Health
5. Mary Dale Peterson, MD, MSHCA, FACHE, FASA – Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer (EVP & COO), Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Past President, American Society of Anesthesiologists