The Four Pillars of Emergency Readiness (with Dr. Richard Marn, MD, Anesthesiologist)

Sedation emergencies may be rare, but when they happen, the consequences can be catastrophic. In this episode, anesthesiologist Dr. Richard Marn shares a practical framework to help oral surgeons prepare for high-stress, low-frequency events that can jeopardize patient safety and derail a practice. Drawing on his work with multiple oral surgeons and his extensive simulation training experience, Dr. Marn walks through four key pillars of readiness: Infrastructure, Competency, Culture, and Habit. He offers real-world strategies for building team alignment, from five-minute huddles and tabletop drills to equipment checks and fostering psychological safety. Along the way, he underscores how leadership and communication can transform a group of individuals into a high-performing team. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to embed a culture of calm, confident emergency response.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Dr. Richard Marn’s journey from surgery intern to pediatric anesthesiologist.
• The importance of stress testing your staff for an emergency event.
• Four pillars of emergency readiness: Infrastructure, Competency, Culture, and Habit.
• The definition of Halo events (High Acuity Low Occurrence) and their potentially devastating impact.
• Why preparation is critical to protect your practice during Halo events.
• How Dr. Marn conducts five-minute emergency drills to build team alignment.
• Sedation as a high-risk activity and how to prepare for it.
• Why soft skills and teamwork are as important as CPR or airway management.
• Simulation training: how they reveal common gaps in emergency preparedness.
• Little details that matter, like knowing how to turn on an oxygen tank.
• The importance of regular huddles: to build habits and uncover weak spots before an emergency hits.
• How to make sure your emergency equipment is in working order: assign liaisons to keep emergency kits, meds, and devices ready for use.
• What you can do to help your team practice emergency skills during real-life, low-stakes cases.
• How culture and psychological safety can affect a team’s emergency response.
• Why culture shifts start with leadership and clear communication of expectations.
• How to access a free online assessment to evaluate team readiness.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Richard Marn — https://www.drrichardmarn.com/
Dr. Richard Marn on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmarn/
Online Sedation Risk Assessment — https://emergency.scoreapp.com

Center for Medical Simulation — https://harvardmedsim.org/
Online Sedation Risk Assessment — https://emergency.scoreapp.com
Blue Pacific Medical Simulation — https://bpmedsim.com/
New York Medical Anesthesia — https://nymedicalanesthesia.com/

Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — [e-mail]

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059