Inconsistent anesthesia coverage leads to patient dissatisfaction, fewer IVF procedures
Patient Experience Erodes with Over 50% of Anesthesiologists Reporting Feeling Burnt Out
Fertility clinics are increasingly strained by anesthesia staffing shortfalls, with direct consequences on patient experience and procedural reliability. Traditional hospital-based anesthesia groups are prioritizing larger inpatient contracts, often sidelining outpatient fertility procedures. This has left clinics facing unpredictable coverage, leading to appointment cancellations and compromised perioperative screening standards, according to data submitted by Kaleidoscope Anesthesia.
The issue is exacerbated by shifting workforce demographics. Over 17% of current anesthesia providers are nearing retirement, and more than 56% are already over the age of 55. Burnout is accelerating the exit rate: a 2024 Medscape survey found that over 50% of anesthesiologists reported feeling burnt out or both burnt out and depressed. From 2021 to 2022 alone, more than 2,872 anesthesiologists left the workforce (Medscape, 2024).
The impact is acute in fertility settings. Clinics report scrambling to secure anesthesia coverage for egg retrievals and other time-sensitive procedures, which in turn degrades the patient experience and undermines procedural efficiency.
Improve Patient Experience. Reduce Doctor Burnout.
See Why Other Fertility Doctors Love These Anesthetists
Fertility doctors from across the country are getting support from this one anesthesia firm.
Fertility doctors across the US are using Kaleidoscope Anesthesia
Kaleidoscope Anesthesia’s CRNAs are known for clinical excellence, their calm bedside manner, and enhancing patient care experience. .
Avoid burnout by offloading this responsibility to professionals you trust.
Scalable, agile staffing, from daily coverage to full perioperative system design.
200+ seasoned CRNAs. Nationwide reach. Fast onboarding.
We’ll show you how other fertility centers are improving patient experience, reducing doctor and staff burnout, reducing cancelations, and improving workflow.
Nearly 30% of Anesthesiologists Exit by 2033 While Demand Increases 2% to 3% Per Year
The Health Resources and Services Administration projects a shortfall of up to 6,300 anesthesiologists by 2036 (HRSA). Contributing factors include rising demand and provider attrition. A 2023 white paper by Medicus Healthcare Solutions estimates that nearly 30% of anesthesiologists will exit the profession by 2033, and surgical demand is expected to grow 2% to 3% annually over the next decade.
Fertility clinics face unique challenges in this constrained labor market. Unlike hospitals, most outpatient clinics lack the financial leverage to retain high-demand providers, placing them at the mercy of rotating anesthesia groups with limited availability. This “revolving door” approach to coverage often results in a mismatch between provider experience and the needs of high-sensitivity fertility care settings.
CRNA Model Boosts Fertility Patient Reviews and Clinic Stability
Emerging data from Kaleidoscope Anesthesia suggest that integrating Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) into fertility clinics enhances patient experience metrics. CRNAs with a focused mission on women's reproductive care provide not just coverage, but continuity — contributing to fewer cancellations and more consistent perioperative protocols.
Kaleidoscope attributes this improvement to its nationwide network of 230+ providers who are purpose-aligned and trained for outpatient fertility settings. These providers are not bound by hospital contracts, allowing for greater agility and a clinic-first operational model.
Clinic staff and REIs have claimed improved provider quality and smoother workflows, pointing to emotional intelligence and outpatient-specific experience as differentiators. This contrasts with more generalized anesthesia services, which may lack the context or familiarity to handle patient needs in IVF clinics.
Fertility Clinics Turn to Consistent Coverage to Improve Patient Experience, Reduce Cancelations
Fertility practices attempting to contain costs or simplify operations by rotating through the next available anesthesia provider often face diminishing returns. Short-term fixes fail when traditional groups—stretched thin and focused on higher-paying hospital work—cannot offer consistent coverage.
The case being made by groups like Kaleidoscope is for a shift toward partnership-driven models, where anesthesia providers are embedded in the fertility care ecosystem. Clinics are encouraged to evaluate not only direct staffing costs, but the broader impact on cancellations, patient satisfaction, and procedural throughput. With consistent providers, standardized preop testing and evaluation criteria, and fluid interdisciplinary communication, cancelations are ameliorated and clinics experience increased operational efficiency.
Improve Patient Experience. Reduce Doctor Burnout.
See Why Other Fertility Doctors Love These Anesthetists
Fertility doctors from across the country are getting support from this one anesthesia firm.
Fertility doctors across the US are using Kaleidoscope Anesthesia
Kaleidoscope Anesthesia’s CRNAs are known for clinical excellence, their calm bedside manner, and enhancing patient care experience. .
Avoid burnout by offloading this responsibility to professionals you trust.
Scalable, agile staffing, from daily coverage to full perioperative system design.
200+ seasoned CRNAs. Nationwide reach. Fast onboarding.
We’ll show you how other fertility centers are improving patient experience, reducing doctor and staff burnout, reducing cancelations, and improving workflow.