Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that the public perception of anaesthesiologists' duties regarding perioperative management lacks a good understanding. The aim of this study was to assess the public perception of the anaesthesiologist's role before, during and after surgery, in Romania. METHOD: The prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken between January 2015 and August 2016. A questionnaire that comprised 23 questions was uploaded on Google at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KxC8jSYydhEu3pn0Hr0LHEsuCEQLSEHQqUo_HzrHuw8/viewform. The link was forwarded on-line randomly (mail, social media). The questions were structured based on current literature. Inclusion criteria were people aged >15 years and not directly related to any medical activity. The answers were anonymously registered, in real time, in an Excel format, used later to process the statistics. RESULTS: 1153 people completed the questionnaire, 61% female and 39% male, 80.8% being from the urban area and 19.2% from the countryside. 62.7% were hospitalized in the past, and 49.8% had undergone at least one surgery. From the questioned group 65.2% had graduated university, and 64.3% were aged between 20 and 40 years. A majority of 1089 respondents (94.6%) knew that the anaesthesiologist was responsible for providing anaesthesia in the operating room. 26.6% considered that the surgeon and the anaesthesiologist played different roles in OR, but 54.4% understood that there is a collaboration between them during surgery. Only 36.2% were aware that the anaesthesiologist replaces blood losses and provides patients hemodynamic stability and proper oxygenation during surgery. 54.6% believe that the surgeon decides upon the postoperative pain management and only 32% know the anaesthesiologist is the physician in charge of intensive care patients. 79.5% of respondents are willing to receive from their anaesthesiologist detailed information, regarding anaesthesia and postoperative care, before surgery, and consider that more publicity should be made regarding this profession. CONCLUSION: The public perception of the anaesthesiologist's role in Romania is inaccurate in spite of the fact that a large group in our study comprised highly educated people living in urban areas. We consider that further strengthening of the anaesthesiologist/patient relationship and an increased media exposure of our specialty would help to improve its social perception.