[Patient knowledge concerning anesthesia general practice and the responsibilities of the anesthetist]

In two Austrian university hospitals 104 patients were interviewed on the basis of questionnaires about their knowledge of the role of anaesthetists. Although 93% of the Patients considered anaesthesists to be physicians, major deficits were found regarding the knowledge about the spheres of activities of anaesthetists. 60% of the respondents confined the anaesthetist to the operating theatre. Only 55% considered the anaesthetist responsible for their safe recovery from anaesthesia. Previous anaesthesia showed to have no influence on the knowledge of anaesthesia practice and the role of anaesthetists. To current practice of informing the patient calls for improvement and new approaches. In addition to this further evaluation work on the influence of the mass media and public knowledge about anaesthesia and the anaesthetists' role should be undertaken.