Impact of age on anaesthesiologists’ competence

Abstract

The international anaesthesia community is getting older, in line with trends worldwide, and as men and women age there is the risk that psychophysiological decline could have an impact on clinical practice. Impairment of technical and nontechnical skills could have a negative impact on patients' safety and outcomes. The ageing process may not necessarily go hand-in-hand with a predictable pattern of decreased competence as not all aspects of functional decline are affected at the same rate and to the same extent. The development of simulation has provided a means of detecting and perhaps reversing the decline in ability associated with age. The introduction of recertification based on an assessment of competence at simulation sessions could play a crucial role in maintaining a high standard of patient care and an appropriate level of patient safety.

The senior anesthesiologists and their medical profession in Korea: based on a survey

“…Majority of the respondents (79.5%) were generally satisfied with their present life. The age distribution of physicians has changed substantially over the past three decades [1]. In 2010 in the United States and in 2012 in Canada, 39.5% and 41.7% of physicians, respectively, were aged over 55 years [3].…”

“…It quires the ability to make prompt decisions to deal with unexpected changes in the patient's condition [1]. Several reports have mentioned that aged practitioners, including anesthesiologists, are more likely to experience legal issues related to their practice [1,4,5]. In contrast, some studies have reported that aged surgeons did not experience increased rates of adverse events in their patients [6][7][8].…”

“…Aging is a fact of nature and it is an irreversible process. Similar to the general population, anesthesiologists are aging [ 1 ]. Aging does not necessarily imply the presence of any abnormalities in mental or physical status.…”

“…Anesthesia is a demanding field and it requires highly concentrated vigilance on the vital signs of patients, the application of skillful techniques, and sufficient physical fitness to engage in anesthetic practice. In addition, it requires the ability to make prompt decisions to deal with unexpected changes in the patient’s condition [ 1 ]. Several reports have mentioned that aged practitioners, including anesthesiologists, are more likely to experience legal issues related to their practice [ 1 , 4 , 5 ].…”

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: General anesthesia using transesophageal echocardiography does not decrease the incidence of paravalvular leaks compared to sedation alone

“…The population is aging and concomitantly patients present an increasing number of comorbidities. [ 1 ] For this frail population, the risk related to the surgical procedure might outweigh the benefit of the surgical intervention. [ 2 ] This restriction applies in particular for aortic valve replacement.…”