Anesthesiologists, An Overlooked Resource: An Exposé on Anesthesiologists as Leaders in Disaster Preparedness and Response

Anesthesiologists are broadly trained members of the health care workforce, managing patients daily using advanced stabilization/resuscitative techniques. They work in a collaborative, team-based model and lead multidisciplinary teams. Their work includes prioritizing patients according to the complexities of their disease presentations, and threats to life and limb. Trauma care is a regular part of the anesthesiologist's job. The presence of anesthesiologists is required in hospitals to achieve the designation level 1 trauma center. Anesthesiology is a specialty known for promoting safe practice principles and improving quality of care, utilizing crisis resource management and implementing cognitive aids. Despite these skillsets, anesthesiologists are generally overlooked in disaster preparedness. The number of trained anesthesiologists is similar to that of emergency medicine physicians, and they are nearly twice as abundant as general surgeons. In countries outside the US, anesthesiologists are often included in the pre-hospital team. The purpose of this article is to emphasize the skillsets of anesthesiologists and to advocate for their inclusion in disaster preparedness teams. Due to their presence and comfort throughout the hospital system, broad training in emergent and elective cases, resuscitation skills, procedural skills, communication skills, daily triage, and team management, anesthesiologists should be considered essential leaders during mass casualty incident preparation and response.