A Conversation With Peter J. Davis, MD
Peter J. Davis, MD, has been anesthesiologist-in-chief at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC since 1999. He also is a professor of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He spoke with Pediatric INSIGHTS about the importance of the specialty pediatric anesthesiology services offered at Children’s Hospital, while demonstrating some of the magic tricks he does to entertain — and just as importantly, distract — his patients.
Pediatric INSIGHTS: What is special about the pediatric anesthesiology services offered at Children’s Hospitals?
Dr. Davis: Our anesthesiologists specialize in taking care of children. This is crucial because, although there are many minor surgeries, there is no such thing as minor anesthesia. Children are not just small adults — they respond differently to anesthesia than adults. We are the only hospital in the region offering surgery performed by specialists in the various fields of pediatric surgery and anesthesia performed only by pediatric anesthesiologists.
PI: Can you elaborate on what you mean by “Children are not just small adults”?
Dr. Davis: Children function differently than adults pharmacologically, physiologically, and psychologically. Furthermore, children’s needs in all of these domains change enormously over time. Children at different stages of development not only respond differently to anesthesia but also have vastly different psychological needs. Pediatric anesthesiologists have completed an anesthesia residency and have had additional fellowship training and education. Thus, pediatric anesthesiologists feel comfortable with the changing physiological, pharmacological, and emotional needs of the child. At Children’s, we see it as an important part of our role as pediatric anesthesiologicsts to help children come through surgery safely and without emotional scars.
PI: How is Children's philosophy of family-centered care put into practice in anesthesiology?
Dr. Davis: We recognize that we are caring for both the child and the family. When a child has surgery, it’s traumatic for both. Our policy at Children’s is that a parent can be with the child in the operating room when anesthesia is induced — as long as it’s in the child’s best interest and there are no medical contraindications to the parent’s presence.
PI: Do the same anesthesiologists work at both the main hospital in Lawrenceville and at Children’s ambulatory surgery centers?
Dr. Davis: Yes! Whether patients are seen in Lawrenceville, at Children’s North in Wexford, or at Children’s South in Bethel Park, they are treated by the same pediatric surgeons and anesthesiologists. Our anesthesiologists and surgeons travel to all of our sites. The ambulatory surgery centers are designed so that families can be “in and out” very efficiently when a child is having surgery that doesn’t require an overnight stay. By performing more surgeries at Children’s North and Children’s South, we free up capacity at the main hospital for surgeries that do require an overnight stay.
PI: How have anesthesiology services changed as a result of the move to the new Children's Hospital in Lawrenceville?
Dr. Davis: We have implemented system redesigns at the new hospital that enable us to provide expanded, more efficient, and even better anesthesiology services.
E-mail Dr. Davis at davispj@anes.upmc.edu with questions or to discuss a case.
