Did You Know the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) issued a Statement on Pregnancy Testing Prior to Anesthesia and Surgery? 

Recently, in September 2025, I had the honor of representing SAMBA on behalf of SAMBA President Alberto Ardon and President-Elect Fred Shapiro at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Anesthesiologists (CSA) in Xiamen, China. More than 10,000 attendees participated in the meeting, which featured over 300 faculty presenting lectures, abstracts, and hands-on sessions. The CSA graciously provided a hospitable hotel for attendees and assigned each faculty member a local volunteer—an intern interested in anesthesiology—to assist with meeting logistics and navigation. My volunteer also offered valuable opportunities to exchange cultural insights and to learn about how medical education operates in China.

I had the distinct pleasure of having a conversation with Dr. Raafat Hannallah, one of SAMBA’s first leaders,¹ past president of SAMBA (1995-1996), and Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at George Washington University/Children's National Medical Center. Dr. Hannallah has been actively involved with SAMBA since its creation in 1984, when Bernie Wetchler first proposed  the idea of an independent Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia. He is also credited as SAMBA’s first newsletter Editor.¹ Egyptian-born and educated, he brings an international perspective to SAMBA and Anesthesiology.  

Ambulatory surgical facilities, including Medicare-deemed ASCs and non-Medicare Outpatient based Surgical and Procedural, both domestic and international, have become integral components in the provision of cost-effective and high-quality surgical care within the dynamic healthcare landscape. Amid their increasing appeal to patients and healthcare providers, the role of governing bodies in these facilities has gained heightened significance.

Did You Know... The 2026 Annual Meeting Abstract Submission Portal is Now Open

Did you know that across the globe, five billion people lack access to safe and affordable surgery?

Looking for productivity hacks?
Did You Know that Artificial Intelligence can help answer your medical questions but there are potential pitfalls?

Did You Know that a new SAMBA–QUAD A affiliation expands SAMBA member educational opportunities?

Did you know that September is Women in Medicine Month, and the Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) proudly celebrates the extraordinary women who have shaped our society and the field of ambulatory anesthesiology. 

SAMBA Update 2025

An “all-star” team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. That is exactly what you got from your SAMBA leadership team! 

Did you know that a recent study applied performance frontiers, an operations management theory, to non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) sites for the first time?¹

Dear SAMBA members,

Did you know that cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are increasingly common, varied, and complex?

Did You Know that two commonly administered perioperative medications can impact hormonal contraception? 

Did you know the impact of artificial intelligence on our practices?

Did you know that in September 2024, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines published an updated guideline on perioperative cardiovascular management for noncardiac surgery?¹ 

Did you know... that Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve (SZMN) blocks can be integrated into an opioid-sparing analgesic regimen for pediatric adenotonsillectomy?

An “all-star” team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. That is exactly what you got from your SAMBA leadership team!