Candidate for Vice President / President Elect, 2023 - 2025

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Mark Blazey, MS, DNP, CRNA

Fast Facts About Mark

          • Lives in the Western District
          • Self-employed with Niagara Frontier Anesthesia and various sites in the Rochester, NY area.
          • CRNA for 10 years, practicing in New York for the past 3 years.
          • Curriculum Vitae 

 What are the biggest challenges facing the profession?

In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing the profession of anesthesia are
related but distinct from those current challenges facing New York State CRNAs.
They’re two separate questions. New York is long-overdue for practice and title
recognition and expanded scope of practice for CRNAs. Achieving this has been
and needs to continue to be NYSANA’s priority–and every strategic action we
take as an organization must advance those goals. If it does not move the needle
towards those goals, it is a secondary priority. As CRNAs have earned title
recognition and proved their merits in other states with expanded and independent
scope of practice, the profession of nurse anesthesia faces different challenges
from CRNAs practicing in New York State. To me one of the biggest challenges
is parity in reimbursement for services.

Nationally, CRNAs continue to be a vital and cost-saving resource for anesthesia services. As we like to remind people, we don’t have a shortage of skilled hands in anesthesia, we have a problem with resource allocation, with hospitals and outpatient surgical centers continuing to employ supervision ratios no longer sustainable in this healthcare system. Under the ACA, CMS is required by law to reimburse CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists the same. And this makes sense. CRNAs are qualified and licensed to provide all anesthesia services. They provide the same services, with the same safety outcomes. They operate under the same safety standards of care, and in many cases collaborate to help establish
those standards. In fact, CRNAs are the only nursing specialty authorized by Medicare Part B to receive direct reimbursement at 100% of the physician fee schedule. However, private payers (read: insurance companies) continue to reimburse CRNAs significantly less than physicians. Because they can. Because their consumers will receive the same anesthesia services, and the payers can spend less money. This, in part, pushes hospitals into using those outdated supervision and physician-centric models of care delivery.

In some instances, not only do payers reimburse at a lower rate for CRNA services, but they refuse to reimburse at all for services CRNAs are qualified to provide. This not only affects the care patients receive in addition to services provided, but directly affects the hospital and the CRNA’s ability to stay competitive and drive down costs. Until hospital administrators and anesthesia groups see parity in reimbursement for CRNA services by insurance companies, the traditional physician model will continue to dominate most settings. Nationally and locally, legislative efforts to require non-discriminatory reimbursement for all payers–parity–as described in the ACA, are the best way to require this.

What experiences, ideas, connection or resources do you have that would allow you to help with those challenges? 

My experiences on the board of directors both with the Massachusetts Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MANA) as well as NYSANA, have allowed me to plan, see, and participate in legislative meetings, strategies, and responses. I am familiar with the legislative process, key players, and language needed to achieve our goals. I have seen and been part of the team when we succeeded (as with prescription authority in Massachusetts) and came up short, (as with NYS’s 2022’s push to pass title recognition and scope).

Name one skill or strength you possess that is unmatched by your colleagues or peers

It is hard to say unmatched really in anything. I work with an amazing team of dedicated people, with complementary talents and strengths. And I continue to learn tremendously from them. I believe my ability to multi-task while staying on target is a unique strength. When I say multi-task, I do not necessarily refer to doing two things simultaneously, but more managing and succeeding in having my hat in various rings. Family, work, volunteer services, professional roles, and self-care. It’s a busy life. But I maintain, the best people suited to ask for more are the ones already busy, already near-capacity. Because we are the ones who find a way to make it happen. And I enjoy that. That’s what NYSANA needs–people who make it happen.

What do you love about being a CRNA? What drew you to the profession? 

I enjoy the cerebral aspect of anesthesia. Thinking through problems, coming up with novel solutions to old issues. Working around expected and unexpected obstacles rather than through them. I like there isn’t a recipe or one set way of doing things. I like working with residents who come in with fresh ideas, new concepts, eager to try new things. I preface everything with, “There is no one ‘right’ way to do this…I do it this way because…” Because it makes me go back and remember what I’ve forgotten, look up something new, not take myself too seriously , and try different approaches, even when the old approach worked just fine. It’s a rare job that offers such creativity and challenges.

Please provide at least one idea you believe will engage or involve members to advance NYSANA’s mission. 

Time, attendance, and participation, has shown us that a very small number of CRNAs are willing or able to involve themselves in the politics of advancing our profession. This may be from a variety or combination of factors including willful ignorance, apathy, fear from employer or coworkers, time, money, attrition, fatigue, resentment, or other issues. We can’t get 10% of our membership to vote in these NYSANA elections! For context: This is an online process. Made to be as simple and straightforward as possible. It takes about 3-10 minutes to read each candidate’s bio, a few more to weigh the options, and one to vote. Twenty-five minutes, once a year, to help decide the direction that their professional organization will head. Who will be the face of CRNAs in Albany. In New York State. And we can’t get 10% of the membership to click the boxes. And still, this is not unique to NYS. So what to do?

Many if not most CRNAs want to do a great job at work and then live their lives away from it and don’t necessarily want to live in the world of anesthesia. Many don’t want to send the letters, don’t want to sit down with their representative, and don't want to give their money to an organization they’re barely part of. They don’t want to be political. And that is okay (minus the donation part–we really need PAC funding to make differences in Albany). There are so many ways NYSANA can help the CRNA profession, and, while legislative issues need to be NYSANA’s priority, NYSANA has important outreach in several areas: public relations, continuing education, peer assistance and wellness, and resident liaisons, just to name a few.

There is something for every single CRNA and RRNA that will interest them. I promise you that. If you want to do something with NYSANA, however time consuming or not, we will find something impactful and meaningful for you. We will find the opportunity for you. It may be a meeting at a restaurant, or a bar, or group axe throwing, or golfing, or curling, or a theater, or a football game. It may be yoga, or the classroom or job fair, or a nerve block seminar. It may be in Albany, at lobby day. Or Washington, at midyear. It may be making phone calls from home, or fundraising online. It may be on a committee to improve something you don’t like about NYSANA. It might be a supported meeting with hospital administrators, sending in testimonials, or just simply voting for your leadership!

NYSANA has something to offer every member. NYSANA has something to offer every member. Yes I wrote that twice. And while it is absolutely true, remember that NYSANA is YOUR state association, working to advance (Y)OUR profession. When New York CRNAs realize that fact–when CRNAs across NYS realize there are ways to help the organization, to help their profession, even without calling the representative, even without soliciting their friends for money (although both are welcome), we’ll get more member involvement, more people that understand what we do, and ultimately more voices, and more strength, in Albany.