Anesthesia's new frontier: ensuring patient safety in the office setting.

Advancements in technology and pharmacology, as well as improved techniques and instrumentation have allowed for much greater flexibility in how and where surgical and anesthesia care can be provided safely. Many procedures now take but a fraction of the time they used to take to complete and can be performed with minimal risk of blood loss and far less postoperative pain. Office-based surgery has emerged as a safe and viable alternative to traditional in-hospital surgery. This article provides an overview of the comprehensive "Standards for Office-Based Anesthesia Practice" developed by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).