This month we are saying farewell to Robert “Butch” Loeb, MD, an exemplary clinician who is retiring after four years with our department.
Dr. Loeb joined the Department of Anesthesiology in March 2017 as a Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Multispecialty Anesthesiology. He started his academic career at the University of California, Davis, and was at the University of Arizona for 20 years prior to joining UF. Dr. Loeb is also a member of the Cognitive Engineering Research Group at The University of Queensland, Australia, where he holds an appointment as an Honorary Associate Professor of Psychology.
Dr. Loeb’s commitment to clinical excellence shone through in his many contributions to our department and institution. He had a special interest in anesthesia for pediatric, ENT, ambulatory, and nonoperating room procedures. His used his teaching and research expertise in anesthesia equipment, anesthesia monitoring, and anesthesia human factors to positively influence the next generation of physicians on a daily basis. Residents, CRNAs, and CAAs all learned tidbits about the anesthesia machine when doing cases with Dr. Loeb. With an interest in low-flow anesthesia, he was instrumental in getting the hospital to change to low-alkaline carbon dioxide absorbents so that sevoflurane could be used at low flow.
He worked with colleagues and hospital IT personnel to improve the Epic Anesthesia interface and was the clinical leader of a team implementing the Anesthesia Registry and SlicerDicer, two Epic data reporting tools. During his time at UF, Dr. Loeb coauthored book chapters with two residents, coauthored an Anesthesia Toolbox tutorial with another resident, and supervised a medical student research project.
Dr. Loeb received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including being elected to the Association of University Anesthesiologists in 2001 and listed as one of the Best Doctors in America since 2003.
Additionally, Dr. Loeb chaired the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Committee on Equipment and Facilities for the past five years, was a former president of the Society for Technology in Anesthesia (STA), and served as a member of the U.S. Food Drug Administration’s (FDA) Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel. He has given numerous lectures at international meetings, written 15 chapters in major anesthesia textbooks, and published almost 50 peer-reviewed research articles.
“Dr. Loeb has been a highly valued member of the Division of Multispecialty Anesthesia since 2017,”said David Corda, MD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Chief of the Division of Multispecialty Anesthesia, and Director of the Transition to Practice rotation. “He has been a national leader in the areas of anesthesia equipment, monitoring, and technology and has shared his expertise and guidance with us at the University of Florida. His versatility and skills in clinical practice as well as mentorship to young faculty will be greatly missed.”
Thank you, Dr. Loeb, for your many contributions to our department, institution, and field. We wish you all the best in your retirement!