Transforming Anesthesiology Through Leadership and Innovation: Insights From Dr. Suzanne Karan

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Dr. Suzanne Karan is a distinguished anesthesiologist and educator whose work spans clinical practice, residency training, and groundbreaking research in perioperative medicine. As Vice Chair of Education at the University of Rochester Medical Center and a leader in recruiting and mentoring future anesthesiologists, Dr. Karan has devoted her career to improving the systems that underpin modern healthcare. Her unique perspective, drawn from years of leadership, teaching, and research, offers valuable insights for clinicians, healthcare administrators, and educators. From leveraging AI to addressing workforce challenges, her ideas hold practical relevance for advancing patient care and operational efficiency in anesthesiology and beyond.

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize personal connections to strengthen mentorship programs.
• Engage clinician-coders to develop systems that meet frontline needs.
• Leverage AI and technology to improve perioperative workflows and education.
• Advocate for innovative policies to address workforce shortages.
• Use data-driven quality improvement to enhance patient care outcomes.

1. Mentorship Programs Thrive When Leaders Prioritize Personal Connection

Dr. Karan highlighted that successful mentorship programs hinge on leaders forging personal connections and investing in the development of their team members. For her, creating these relationships is an essential way to identify emerging talent and nurture their growth within the organization.

"To build strong programs, leaders need to do a deep dive. It’s about meeting the people — getting to know them on a very human level, which takes time and investment in human capital."

She exemplifies this philosophy through her leadership in residency training, where she has created spaces for open dialogue and professional development. By fostering trust and collaboration, Dr. Karan empowers her residents to share their challenges and aspirations, ensuring they feel supported and heard throughout their training.

For clinical leaders, taking time to engage directly with team members and understanding their needs builds the foundation for a thriving workplace. As Dr. Karan emphasized, mentorship isn’t just about talent development — it’s about creating environments where individuals feel valued and supported.

2. Efficient Systems Require Clinician-Coder Expertise

System optimization often requires technical solutions rooted in clinical experience. Dr. Karan passionately advocates for institutions to embrace a holistic approach, beginning with sourcing leaders with multi-faceted expertise. She praised the work of an anesthesiologist-informaticist at her institution who developed a workflow tool that incentivizes efficiency using a simple psychological mechanism: smiley faces.

“Our informaticist made workflows seamless by implementing tools like a ‘smiley face’ system that incentivizes chart completion through positive reinforcement. Psychologically, people work towards those smiley faces.”

This approach exemplifies how staffers with clinical expertise and coding knowledge can effectively address operational challenges. Dr. Karan firmly believes technical innovation is most impactful when engineers derive intuitive solutions from frontline experience. 

For leaders, hiring or collaborating with clinician-coders ensures that new tools integrate seamlessly into daily workflows, boosting productivity and satisfaction across the care team.

3. AI and Technology Reshape Perioperative Care

Technology is rapidly changing how hospitals manage perioperative workflows. In particular, Dr. Karan sees AI as a powerful tool for improving both education and efficiency. She leverages AI interactively with residents to show them how it enhances clinical decision-making while also addressing its limitations.

“I encourage residents to see where patients are getting their information and evaluate the AI citations. This bridges the gap between patient and provider knowledge.”

Dr. Karan also noted the benefits of AI in administrative tasks, such as predictive scheduling and enriching electronic medical records. These tools not only streamline workflows but also ensure that clinicians can focus more time on patient care. Beyond administrative applications, technology is improving clinical knowledge sharing. Platforms like C8 Health provide clinicians with just-in-time resources, surfacing information from trusted sources to integrate up-to-date protocols and guidelines seamlessly into everyday practice.

Dr. Karan has firsthand experience with C8 Health and sees it as a must-have tool for clinicians. She described the platform as "useful for hitting the ground running more effectively and efficiently." For Dr. Karan, the ability of C8 Health to deliver knowledge at the point of need aligns with her vision of creating systems that reduce friction and empower clinicians to provide better patient care.

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4. Workforce Shortages Demand Innovative Solutions

The national shortage of anesthesiologists presents a growing challenge, particularly in underserved areas like Dr. Karan’s local upstate New York. She pointed to the need for policy changes to address barriers preventing international clinicians from entering the workforce.

“Foreign-trained anesthesiologists could fill critical gaps, but current visa caps make it difficult to bring them into the workforce quickly. These clinicians are eager to contribute, and with the right policies, we could accelerate their integration into our teams, addressing shortages and improving care for patients who need it most.”

She also highlighted how an overreliance on locum tenens staff creates inequities within organizations, where temporary providers earn significantly more than salaried clinicians. This dynamic can disrupt team cohesion and ultimately impact patient care quality.

Addressing these issues requires creative staffing solutions, such as expanding visa programs or leveraging telehealth and AI to make small teams more efficient. By tackling workforce challenges head-on, healthcare leaders can create more equitable and sustainable systems.

5. Data-Driven Quality Improvement: The Next Frontier

Dr. Karan believes the future of anesthesiology lies in using big data to drive quality improvement. By analyzing patterns of adverse events and implementing data-informed solutions, institutions can achieve meaningful and measurable advancements.

“We can mine data to find patterns, implement solutions, and then scale successful interventions. The power of quality improvement is unmatched for short-term and long-term patient care advancements.”

This iterative approach transforms event reporting into actionable insights, enabling leaders to scale up successful interventions across broader patient populations. For Dr. Karan, these data-driven strategies represent a significant opportunity to improve outcomes on a systemic level.

Pioneering the Future of Anesthesiology

Dr. Suzanne Karan’s insights provide a blueprint for advancing anesthesiology through mentorship, innovation, and data-driven solutions. Healthcare leaders can create a future where patient outcomes and operational efficiency are made paramount by prioritizing human connection, leveraging emerging technologies, and addressing systemic challenges.

Contact C8 Health today to explore how our cutting-edge platform can streamline knowledge sharing, optimize workflows, and support your organization in delivering exceptional care.