WHEREAS, Physician anesthesiologists are guardians of patient safety in health care: in the operating room, in the delivery room, in the intensive care unit, in pain management clinics, and on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, Their years of education and training prepare physician anesthesiologists to navigate life-and-death moments, transitioning from the operating room to the emergency room and acting as airway management experts for the sickest of patients diagnosed with COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, Physician anesthesiologists were made for this moment, playing a critical role in keeping patients safe in California, whether caring for COVID-19 patients, managing a crisis during surgery or labor and delivery, or providing pain management; and

WHEREAS, Annually in the United States, more than 100 million operations and procedures are performed with anesthesia, and physician anesthesiologists play a critical role in a patient’s well-being before, during, and after surgical procedures and make patient safety their top priority; and

WHEREAS, Physician anesthesiologists have the highest levels of training and must complete between 12,000 and 16,000 hours of training before practicing independently; and

WHEREAS, Physician anesthesiologists have been leaders in patient safety, as anesthesiology is cited as the only medical specialty to have significantly improved patient safety; and

WHEREAS, A physician anesthesiologist’s duties include evaluating a patient’s current health before receiving anesthesia to ensure the best outcome, administering anesthesia, monitoring the patient during surgery, and assessing the patient after the procedure is completed; and

WHEREAS, This spectrum of patient care constitutes the perioperative surgical home, which the American Society of Anesthesiologists has identified as an innovative model in patient care in which the physician anesthesiologist directs the anesthesia care team to provide support to the patient throughout all aspects of surgical care and procedures; and

WHEREAS, There is up to a 20-percent reduction in adverse events when physician anesthesiologists lead the anesthesia care team; and

WHEREAS, The American Medical Association completed a public opinion survey that concluded 70 percent of patients want a physician to administer and monitor anesthesia levels; and

WHEREAS, Anesthesia is safer than ever before, yet there remains potential for complications and side effects during procedures, and physician anesthesiologists have the training and expertise to help minimize these risks, monitor for any problems, and take quick action; and

WHEREAS, During surgeries or procedures, when seconds count, physician anesthesiologists have the highest degree of training to respond to emergencies and ensure the best patient outcomes; and

WHEREAS, The California Society of Anesthesiologists is a physician organization with over 3,000 members dedicated to promoting the highest standards of the profession of anesthesiology, fostering excellence through continuing medical education, and serving as an advocate for anesthesiologists and their patients; now, therefore, be it