CHG Healthcare buys KREWE Anesthesia to fill CRNA staffing gap
What's the deal? CHG HealthcareDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired KREWE AnesthesiaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a staffing firm specialising in certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) placement. The deal, announced August 11, 2026, strengthens CHG's ability to meet client demand for CRNA staffing and managed anesthesia services. Terms were not disclosed.
Why now? CRNA staffing has become one of the most acute gaps in healthcare workforce management. Per CHG's research, nurse anesthetists are now among the hardest advanced practice roles to fill nationally — a shortage sharper in rural communities, where many hospitals rely on CRNA-led anesthesia to keep surgical services running.
What's the endgame? KREWE was founded by practicing CRNAs and uses a provider-led model that matches clinicians to the right role rather than the next open one. That approach gives CHG a fuller anesthesia offering, from single locum placements to ongoing managed services.
The numbers: KREWE reports roughly 84% annual clinician retention, well above typical locum tenens benchmarks.
KREWE will keep operating under founders Gavin Baker, chief executive officer, and Chase Chiasson, president, both of whom remain with the company.
“CRNA staffing is one of the fastest-growing parts of our industry, and we're excited to bring that expertise into the CHG family,” said Leslie Snavely, chief executive officer of CHG Healthcare. “Adding their capabilities to what we already offer makes us a true full-service partner for our clients' anesthesia programs.”
Baker said partnering with CHG lets KREWE “accelerate that mission by creating even more opportunities for providers.” Chiasson added that KREWE's leadership, provider commitment, and culture “will continue to guide everything we do.”
The signal: As anesthesia coverage demand grows, health systems increasingly want partners who can support their anesthesia programs as comprehensively as the rest of their workforce. CHG's move reflects wider consolidation in healthcare staffing, as broad workforce firms buy specialists to close the industry's hardest gaps.
Read more: AP News
Image credit: NavyMedicine
