A survey of Belgian anesthesiologists.

From this national survey, it appears that anesthesiologists work on average 60 hours per week in a hospital; male anesthesiologists an average of 11 percent more than their female colleagues. Age had no major conflict on the average working hours: recently qualified anesthesiologist are fully integrated into the work schedule from the very start; weekly working hours remain virtually unchanged until the age of sixty and then gradually decrease. The average anesthesiologist devotes slightly more than half of his time (i.e. roughly 30 hours) to anesthesia in the operating room (OR); another important area of activity is intensive care, on average slightly over 8 hours per week or 15 percent of his overall time. About 90 percent of the anesthesiologists are involved in anesthesia in the OR and in continuing medical education, nearly half have educational duties and 20 percent undertake research. Based on financial considerations, 18 percent of the respondents believe there are too many anesthesiologists. In contrast, only 6 percent think this is the case when considering the quality of anesthesia only, and no less than 39 percent believe that there are too few anesthesiologists. According to nearly half of the respondents, the anesthesia workload is somehow too heavy; nevertheless, only 18 percent would be prepared to work less if this would mean a loss of income, and 25 percent is not willing at all to work less, irrespective of income loss. Over three quarters of respondents indicate a job satisfaction of 7 on a scale ranging from 0 to 10; this mark might be further increased by a higher salary and by an improved image of their profession. Pain management is the area of anesthesiology that needs to be developed first. The respondents considered professional insurance, medico-legal problems, and an excess of anesthesiologists, as main sensitive points for the future development of this specialty.

Can we predict the future evolution of anesthesiology workforce in Belgium?

Two models are proposed to predict the evolution of anesthesiology workforce over the next 20 years. Each model features various scenarios according to different assumptions related to future numbers of female anesthetists, working hours, or regulations for postgraduates' working for conditions. However the main uncertainties derive from the unknown evolution of demands. Despite their differences both models agree on several important conclusions: a 13 to 14% shortage of anesthesiologists currently exists to satisfy O.R. demands, this shortage will decrease over the next ten years, and after 2010 a new shortage could arise under the combined pressure of the numerus clausus, of the number of female anesthesiologists and of the aging of the still young population of anesthesiologists.