 This risky proposal would replace anesthesiologists who are highly trained physicians with nurse anesthetists in surgery. There is no rationale for this initiative. VA's own data shows there are no anesthesiology workforce or access issues, and independent research clearly shows that anesthesia is safest when an anesthesiologist is involved. A survey by the American Legion found that 91% of veterans expect the same quality of care available in the nation's top-rated non-VA hospitals.