Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management for Professionals
The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management at Hospital for Special Surgery is known for the skill of its expert staff, commitment to innovative research, and emphasis on specialized education. Each member of the team is driven to advance the practice of regional anesthesia for orthopedics.
Fellowship graduates practicing in 7 countries
Articles published in 2023
Anesthetic procedures performed in 2023
In 2019, our expert staff performed over 51,000 anesthetic procedures for patients undergoing a full spectrum of orthopedic procedures. Our exceptional clinical outcomes — including a "99th percentile" ranking for in-patient analgesic satisfaction, New York State’s lowest infection rates, and low incidence of thromboembolic and cardiovascular complications — are due in large part to the skill and training of our anesthesiologists.
Education Programs
To advance our mission to improving anesthesia care for orthopedics, the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management offers robust, innovative education to its fellows, residents, and attending staff.
Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement
The Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QA/PI) Division within the Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management aims to improve system issues, enhance patient safety and improve the quality of care through research, education, and evidence-based practice improvement.
The QA/PI Division ensures the Department is providing the best care to patients by:
- Upholding the highest possible standard of patient care
- Meeting or exceeding all legally mandated requirements
- Striving to decrease risk to patients and hospital staff
- Educating staff on the best ways to ensure exemplary care
The QA/PI Division develops and maintains robust databases to track and trend outcomes, maintains all physician/provider profiles for credentialing purposes, and collaborates with other departments to organize interdisciplinary conferences and develop best practice guidelines.
To keep the department up to date on new policies, processes or any other pertinent information, the QA/PI team distributes a monthly email newsletter to staff anesthesiologists. The QA/PI team is also responsible for orientating all new providers (attendings, fellows, residents, CRNAs, NPs, and PAs) to the QA/PI Division.
Highlights
Congrats Dr. Seth Waldman, named HSS Educator of the Year by the 2023-2024 Tri-Institutional Pain Fellows!
Dr. Waldman has received this award several times for his teaching, mentorship, and kindness.
Congrats Dr. Max Zhukovsky, named HSS Teacher of the Year by the 2024 Weill Cornell & NYP Hospital residents!
Since joining our attending staff, Dr. Zhukovsky has taken on the role of Site Director for residents.
HSS wins two Best of Meeting Abstract awards and Patient Safety Award at 2024 ASRA Annual Meeting
Topics included whether dronabinol provides pain relief, if diabetes medicines increase aspiration risk, and anesthesia safety in Guillain-Barré syndrome.
The Regional Anesthesiology Fellowship Directors Association (RAFDA) Officially Formed in 2024
Two of the seven board members are Mary Hargett who serves as Director-at-Large, and Mandip Kalsi, MD who is President-Elect. Congratulations!