“We’re all ambulatory anesthesiologists now” is the striking introduction to Anesthesiology Clinics Ambulatory Anesthesia. This is indeed correct; there are few anesthesiologists today for whom the ambulatory patient does not play a daily and expanding role in their work schedule. Against this backdrop and aimed at anesthesiology practitioners, this book sets out to review the different facets that contribute to a successful ambulatory anesthesia practice. The editor of this issue of Anesthesiology Clinics is Dr Michael T. Walsh, the current vice-chair of the Standards Committee of the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities. As the former President of the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia, Dr Walsh is well positioned to examine the clinical and organizational challenges of modern ambulatory anesthesia. The book utilizes a multiauthor approach, with 38 contributors creating 14 chapters, spanning 4 main areas—the relevant clinical topics, quality improvement, practice management, and leadership. Each chapter is approximately 10 pages long, beginning with a key points section that neatly emphasizes the important aspects of the topic before expanding into a broad examination of the relevant issues. As might be expected with multiple contributors, the style, layout, and use of diagrams vary somewhat between chapters. The overall result is, nonetheless, a book that is for the most part concise, informative, and clearly written by experienced practitioners. The first 10 chapters focus primarily on clinical aspects and display a good balance between highlighting of key points, judicious referencing of guidelines, and practical advice from appropriate experts. The insightful overviews are achieved without getting bogged down in minute detail. Complex topics, such as preoperative assessment, are simplified through use of contemporary guidelines and algorithms. In the chapter “Enhanced Recovery Programs in Outpatient Surgery,” the authors explain the objectives and rationale that underlie a successful enhanced recovery program. Their experience is clearly evident, and less established features of the process—such as patient education—are discussed in a concise and engaging manner. The chapter on regional anesthesia details the fundamentals underlying a wide number of blocks while remaining succinct and easy to read. The considered use of annotated ultrasound stills greatly enhances most explanations. Perhaps, the truncal blocks (paravertebral and erector spinae) section would benefit from better clinical images because visualization is difficult for all but the most experienced regional practitioner. In addition to covering commonplace regional techniques, the authors also include a number of increasingly popular blocks such as the erector spinae and interspace between popliteal artery and capsule of the knee block (iPACK Block) approaches. The result is an outstanding overview of a topic that rarely lends itself so well to the purely written form. “Pediatric Ambulatory Anesthesia Challenges” covers all aspects of the pediatric anesthetic pathway. Preoperative evaluation is emphasized as the “lynch pin” of successful pediatric practice, and the chapter wisely focuses heavily on this aspect, with clear guidelines on the most common and serious comorbidities that present. The sections on risk assessment and postoperative challenges are also highly informative. The later chapters focus on the nonclinical aspects of ambulatory practice which are frequently overlooked in texts on the subject. For the most part, the authors succeed in distilling these nonclinical areas down into the essential points. However, some of the chapters in this section are somewhat prosaic and less visually appealing, which detracts from the usefulness of the material therein. “Quality Improvement in Ambulatory Anesthesia: Making Changes That Work for You” presents a useful, albeit academic, discussion of current thinking on quality improvement methodologies. “Value-Based Payment in Ambulatory Anesthesia: MACRA, MIPS, and More” superbly deciphers a complex topic in a manner aimed primarily toward the North American reader. “Office-based Anesthesia: A Comprehensive Review and 2019 Update” offers an interesting review of the issues, both past and present, facing this ambulatory anesthesia subspecialty. However, the discussion on relevant legislation and regulations in different states feels a little misplaced. The final chapter, “Ambulatory Surgery Center Medical Director: Visionary Leader,” focuses on how leadership and organizational behavior in a unit can enhance patient safety and contribute to service enhancement. While not a typical subject for the review-style book, it is an enjoyable read that examines an often-undervalued component of all successful anesthesia practices. The impact of a repetitive case-mix on practitioners, the potential deskilling effect of limited exposure to acute surgical cases, and the role of simulation training may be useful adjuncts to future editions. Anesthesiology Clinics Ambulatory Anesthesia can be purchased in its entirety by subscription online, or alternatively individual chapters may be purchased in PDF format at www.anesthesiology.theclinics.com. The online version is identical to the paper one. Practitioners must now be well versed in the nuances of ambulatory anesthesia. This text brings together the pertinent components. While a publication of this nature could never be expected to be exhaustive, it would serve as an excellent ambulatory anesthesia reference especially for senior residents, fellows, and attendings. That said, any anesthesiologist would find it beneficial to have the clinical chapters to hand on a daily basis and should gain from familiarizing themselves with the nonclinical topics addressed. The authors are to be congratulated for an excellent contribution to what is likely to be an ever-advancing field of anesthesia practice. Osmond Morris, MRCPI, FCAIDermotKelly, MRCPI, FFARCSI, DABADepartment of AnaesthesiaSt Vincent’s University HospitalDublin, Ireland[email protected]