Operating rooms and ASCs are facing persistent shortages of anesthetic agents, forcing anesthesia teams to substitute drugs and alter workflows. As of June 19, the FDA listed 194 drugs in shortage, including ketamine hydrochloride injection, which is used for anesthesia. The shortages come on top of broader workforce pressures in anesthesia. Staffing gaps, reimbursement cuts and increasing demand are stretching anesthesia departments, especially in ASCs. “That has impacts on the workforce, which also contributes to burnout, so this is more than just about the balance sheet.