• André Gottschalk, Stefan Seelen, Sharon Tivey, Antje Gottschalk, and George Rich.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum Langendreer, University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. Andre.Gottschalk@ddh-gruppe.de
• J Clin Anesth. 2013 Mar 1;25(2):85-91.

Study ObjectivesTo determine patients' knowledge of the role of the anesthesiologist in the hospital.DesignProspective survey instrument.SettingThree university hospitals (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; St. George Hospital University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; and University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany).Patients900 patients (300 pts per center) undergoing elective surgery.MeasurementsPatients completed a standardized questionnaire before surgery and before speaking to an anesthesiologist.Main ResultsMost patients knew that anesthesiologists were medical doctors (Charlottesville, 58%; Bochum, 83%; Sydney, 71%). The majority (> 75%) underestimated the amount of training required to become anesthesiologist. While patients recognized the role of anesthesiologists in keeping patients asleep and awakening them, many patients did not understand the anesthesiologists' role in treating intraoperative medical problems. Patients had diverse concerns including infection, awakening during surgery, and failure to awaken, although patients were unclear about who was responsible for treating these issues. Outside the operating room (OR), 71% of patients rated Intensive Care Unit treatment as a duty of the anesthesiologist in Bochum, but fewer (P < 0.05) did so from Charlottesville (42%) and Sydney (49%). Understanding of duties outside the OR (resuscitation, teaching medical students, or chronic pain treatment) was very low (< 50%) in all centers.ConclusionPatients underestimated the training and role of the anesthesiologist in the OR and hospital.Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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