title: What do patients know about anesthesiologists? Results of a comparative survey in an U.S., Australian, and German university hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine patients' knowledge of the role of the anesthesiologist in the hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective survey instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three 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).
  
  
  METHODS
  900 patients (300 pts per center) undergoing elective surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients completed a standardized questionnaire before surgery and before speaking to an anesthesiologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients underestimated the training and role of the anesthesiologist in the OR and hospital.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum Langendreer, University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. Andre.Gottschalk@ddh-gruppe.de
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Gottschalk
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Seelen
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: Tivey
authors: Antje
authors: A
authors: Gottschalk
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Rich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014768:Virginia; D055815:Young Adult