A decade or so ago, it was common to think of immunosuppression as an uncommon condition, applying to patients with HIV, some cancer patients on chemotherapy, transplant recipients, or patients with rare genetic disorders. That is no longer the case. Immunosuppression is now common in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Consider this (not uncommon) scenario: Sleepy Anesthesia Group (SAG) has been providing exclusive services at Hospital XYZ for over 15 years, and suddenly they learn that the hospital has put out a request for proposal (RFP) for anesthesia services. SAG feels caught off guard – what should they do?

Value was a touchstone in Detroit during Motown’s heyday, just as it’s a touchstone for ASA today. Every member should expect to get real value for their membership, but not all members share the same needs. In the decades to come, today’s early-career physicians will shape the specialty and ASA. While it’s essential to engage young anesthesiologists in their first few years of practice, it is equally important to recognize that they view the idea of society membership through a unique lens.

Anesthesiologists and patients are at risk for cross-contamination and cross-infection during routine clinical care. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic emphasized the risk of such perioperative transmission. This article reviews practical considerations related to these hazards and offers suggestions on what works and what doesn’t work.