Why Ontario's Anesthesiologists Support Team-Based Anesthesia Care
/Across Ontario, we’re seeing lengthy surgical backlogs, increased pressure on hospital operating rooms, and more and more burnt-out staff and frustrated patients.
While there are multiple reasons behind this declining situation, Dr. Cindy Wang offers insight into one key factor: “Right now, Ontario is facing a significant shortage of anesthesiologists, and that shortage is having a direct impact on patients. Surgeries and procedures are being delayed, wait times are increasing, and hospitals are struggling to maintain coverage across operating rooms, obstetrics, and emergency departments.”
Dr. Cindy Wang
Dr. Wang is a staff anesthesiologist at Lakeridge Health. She’s also a longtime health-care advocate and is the current Chair of Ontario’s Anesthesiologists (OA), which represents more than 1,500 practicing anesthesiologists across the province. As an advocate for safe, high-quality, and sustainable patient care, OA has been at the forefront of modernizing anesthesia delivery models to meet growing demands, while always preserving patient safety and anesthesiologist-led care.
Those modernization efforts include advancing team-based anesthesia care (TBAC). Under this model, anesthesiologists work in a coordinated team with highly trained anesthesia assistants (AAs). TBAC safely expands anesthesia coverage while ensuring that anesthesiologists continue to provide leadership, oversight, and critical decision-making for every patient under their care.
It’s a model already used in some parts of Ontario with much success. Now OA wants to see it used across the province. Dr. Wang explains why OA believes so strongly in TBAC in our Q&A with her.
Q: Why does OA support team-based anesthesia care?
A: TBAC allows us to better meet growing patient needs via a model that is safe and sustainable.
Anesthesiologists are essential to every surgery, yet we’re facing workforce shortages that are already limiting access to care in some regions. Additionally, we’re seeing a striking increase in out-of-operating-room activities that many anesthesiologists are asked to assist with, such as sedation for MRIs and in radiology and cardiology suites.
By implementing TBAC, we’re able to meet this accelerating demand by supervising trained AAs in appropriate, lower-risk settings. Essentially, it enables anesthesiologists to extend their expertise, creating increased efficiencies and access for patients while maintaining the highest safety standards.
Additionally, TBAC represents a practical and evidence-based way to stabilize our workforce, leading to better scheduling and reduced burnout, while still reaffirming the anesthesiologist’s leadership role in perioperative care.
Q: What has OA been doing to advocate for TBAC?
A: We’ve been working on this issue for several years, aligning our efforts with both the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).
In 2023, OA formally proposed expanding the existing Anesthesia Care Team model through a collaborative, evidence-informed approach. Since then, we’ve been meeting regularly with ministry officials, the OMA, and hospital leaders to outline a framework for responsible implementation.
Most recently, OA successfully advocated for the formation of a bilateral OMA–MOH committee that will consult stakeholders and develop recommendations for expanding TBAC beyond the current implementations of Anesthesia Care Teams.
We’re also prioritizing member education and engagement through webinars, townhalls, and presentations to ensure anesthesiologists have a voice in how TBAC evolves.
Dr. WanG with the Honourable Sylvia Jones during the 2024 OMA Doctor’s Day at Queen’s Park alongside OMA CEO kim Moran and Then OMA President Dr. Dominik Nowak
Q: When it comes to advocating for TBAC, what’s been OA’s greatest success?
A: It’s getting TBAC formally recognized at the provincial policy level as a legitimate and necessary conversation.
Until recently, discussions about anesthesia human resources focused mainly on recruitment and funding. We’ve helped shift that dialogue toward system-level solutions that pair safe models of care with sustainable staffing strategies.
Through our advocacy together with the OMA, including direct engagement with government officials, we’ve built strong relationships with the key decision-makers in Ontario’s health-care sector. We’ve shown that anesthesiologists are not only clinicians but also leaders in health system innovation.
We’re especially pleased that the Ministry and OMA have agreed to work jointly through that aforementioned committee to explore implementation of TBAC across the province. This is a significant step that reflects years of steady, strategic advocacy by our organization and our members.
Q: How can OA members support these advocacy efforts?
A: First, stay informed and engaged, and don’t hesitate to ask questions to myself and other executive members. Your perspectives help shape our provincial recommendations.
Second, if you haven’t already, renew or begin contributing your voluntary OA dues. These funds directly support our advocacy, from policy work and public communications to research and stakeholder engagement.
Finally, share your experiences with us. Local stories about patient delays, staffing gaps, scheduling challenges, or successful team-based models, make our case more compelling at the policy table.
Remember, advocacy is strongest when it’s collective!
Q: What key details about TBAC should people take away from this chat?
A: To understand that TBAC is not about replacing anesthesiologists, it’s about supporting us and extending our capacity to meet the needs of Ontario’s patients and hospitals safely and sustainably.
Under this model, anesthesiologists remain the clinical leaders responsible for patient safety and decision-making. Team-based care simply ensures that their expertise is used more efficiently, so that no patient is left waiting for surgery unnecessarily due to anesthesia shortages.
Ontario has a strong foundation for this model; we already have anesthesia assistants and anesthesiologists who work collaboratively every day. What we need now is structured expansion with clear standards, safeguards, and support for training and funding.
TBAC isn’t a shortcut; it’s a smarter, safer way to meet growing demand while valuing the expertise of anesthesiologists and their teams.