What is a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant?

A Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) is a master's-prepared anesthesia provider who works under the medical direction of an anesthesiologist as part of the Anesthesia Care Team (ACT) model. CAAs deliver anesthesia services in private-practice, hospital, and ASC settings in the states where they're licensed. Training is a 24-28 month master's program with significant clinical hours. Certification is through the National Commission for the Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA).

In which states can CAAs practice?

CAAs are licensed or recognized for practice in a growing list of states as of 2026, including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia, the VA, and TRICARE systems. CAAs always practice under medical direction by an anesthesiologist per the ACT model. State-by-state licensure rules continue to evolve; the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA) maintains the current status.

Can CAAs use the same AI pre-op tools as CRNAs and anesthesiologists?

Yes. The workflow is the same — pre-op clearance review, Anesthesia Pre-Op Form (AANA P-1 style or equivalent), intraoperative charting. AI tools like MyPreOp.ai support CAAs at the same feature set and pricing ($59/mo) as CRNAs and anesthesiologists. The structural difference for CAAs is the supervising-anesthesiologist sign-off step under the ACT model — the AI tool needs to support that workflow with audit trail of who reviewed what and when.

Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants and AI: A 2026 Field Guide

How CAAs are integrating AI into the Anesthesia Care Team model in 2026 — practical, state-aware, and workflow-grounded.

The CAA profession is one of the fastest-growing anesthesia-provider categories in the country. State licensure has expanded substantially in the last five years and demand from private-practice groups, ASCs, and hospital systems continues to climb. The AI tools CAAs are adopting in 2026 look very similar to the ones CRNAs use — with one critical structural difference: medical direction by the supervising anesthesiologist.

The CAA workflow with AI

A typical day in an ACT-model practice with AI tools in place:

The CAA runs the pre-op clearance review. AI returns a verdict and two-section PDF. CAA reviews, overrides any flags they disagree with, signs.
The supervising anesthesiologist reviews the CAA's sign-off. Borderline cases (ASA II/III cusp, complex cardiac, GLP-1 hold questions) escalate.
The Anesthesia Pre-Op Form is auto-populated. CAA reviews, signs. Same workflow as CRNA.
Intraoperative charting happens on iPad. CAA charts; the supervising anesthesiologist can review in real time from the medical-direction workstation.
End-of-case sign-and-lock. CAA signs the chart. The chart locks. Addenda append if needed.

What the audit trail needs to capture

For medical-direction billing under the ACT model, the audit trail needs: timestamped sign-off by the CAA, timestamped review by the supervising anesthesiologist, the AI output that was reviewed, any overrides applied with rationale, and the final signed chart with both signatures. AI tools that don't separate these signatures and timestamps in the audit log are not ready for ACT-model billing. Tools that do (including MyPreOp.ai) support the documentation requirements out of the box.

Pricing for CAAs and ACT-model groups

Per-provider pricing is the same as CRNAs and anesthesiologists — $59/mo per CAA, unlimited cases. For a group with one anesthesiologist directing 2-4 CAAs, the Anesthesia Pro plan at $59/mo per provider is the right fit. For larger ACT groups (one anesthesiologist directing more CAAs or a mix of CAAs and CRNAs), the Surgeon Practice plan at $499/mo covers up to 10 providers under one account.

The state-licensure consideration

CAA scope of practice varies by state. AI tools should not push CAAs outside their scope. The tool's job is to make the documentation and clearance review faster within the scope the state defines — not to expand or contract the scope itself. CAAs using AI tools should still operate under the medical-direction structure their state and practice require.

If you're a CAA wanting to try AI pre-op and charting in your own workflow, see the CAA-specific page, the full platform overview, or sign up directly.