General Practitioner Anaesthesia Survey 2006

Abstract

A survey was posted to all general practitioner anaesthetists in Australia who are currently involved in the Joint Consultative Committee on Anaesthesia (JCCA) accreditation process known as the Maintenance of Professional Standards program (MOPS). The survey was intended to gain information regarding accreditation, continuing medical education, caseloads, on call, work practices, attitudes and future work plans. The response rate was 70% (168/240). The majority of respondents worked in a rural location (73%) where there were no specialist anaesthetists (74%). Of the respondents, 89 were category A accredited, but only 15% had this based on completion of the Advanced Rural Skills Curriculum Statement in Anaesthesia (ARSCSA) and examination. The mean number of sessions in anaesthesia worked per week was 2.8 (SD 2.2). Of the respondents, 69% administered more than 150 anaesthetics per year: 28% were on call more than 10 times per month. General surgery, gastrointestinal endoscopy, obstetrics, gynaecology and orthopaedics were the most common specialties for which anaesthesia was provided. Eight percent of respondents stated that sedation comprised 81-100% of their caseload: 92% used propofol as part of their usual intravenous sedation technique: 90% provided anaesthesia for paediatric patients with a mean minimum age of 4.1 years (SD 3.4): 64% provided epidural anaesthesia/analgesia. The majority stated that specialist anaesthetists and hospital administrations were helpful and supportive. Eighty-two percent planned to continue or increase their current anaesthetic workload over the next five years. The JCCA MOPS program appears to provide a satisfactory pathway for training, accreditation and on-going education of general practitioner anaesthetists.