This prospective study was designed to assess patient’s understanding and knowledge of the anesthesiologist’s role and responsibilities in the operating room and in other areas in a university hospital in Turkey. 251 adult patients were asked to fill a questionnaire in the preanesthetic clinic of Yeditepe University Hospital. Results of the questionnaire revealed that 13,1% of the respondents did not know who an anesthesiologist was and 69,7% knew that the anesthesiologist was a doctor. Of the respondents 6% considered the anesthesiologists as more important than the surgeon, 56% felt that the anesthesiologists were easy to talk to and only 23% stated that the anesthesiologists explained the possible complications and 58% thought that the anesthesiologists took care of them postoperatively. Of all the respondents, 36% were aware of the anesthesiologists role in the intensive care unit. The present study pointed out poor knowledge of the public regarding the role of anesthesiologist.

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