Patient Perception on the Role of Anesthesiologists

Patient Perception on the Role of Anesthesiologists: a Survey on the Belgian Perspective

Previous studies showed that the role of the anesthesiologist, their education and role within the hospital is not known by the general public. The lack of knowledge about anesthesia can be an important factor in patients' fear before the planned surgery and can therefore impact patient's general satisfaction. By means of a survey in patients planned for elective surgery, the investigators want to investigate the perception of patients regarding the anesthesiologist, their education and role within the hospital, the general knowledge of the patient regarding anesthesia and possible pre-operative fears and concerns.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Surgery; Anesthesia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Survey

Detailed Description

Introduction:

Previous studies, mainly performed in the USA and a few in Europe, showed that the role of the anesthesiologist, their education and role within the hospital is not known by the general public (1). Other studies questioned the expectations as well as fear of patients with respect to anesthesia (2). The lack of knowledge about the anesthesia can be an important factor in patients' fear before the planned surgery and can therefore impact patient's general satisfaction. While studies have been performed in several countries, not a single study as far as the investigators know, has been performed in Belgium. Given the fact that the anesthesiologist plays an important role during all stages of surgery (pre-, per-, post-operative), it is important to know how patients experience anesthesia and the role of the anesthesiologist. In this way, possible points of attention can be explored which can lead to a better patient satisfaction in the future.

Outcome measures:

With this study, the investigators want to investigate the perception of patients regarding the anesthesiologist, their education and role within the hospital, the general knowledge of the patient regarding anesthesia and possible pre-operative fears and concerns.

The investigators will determine these outcome measures by performing a survey (standardized questions) which will investigate the following 8 parts:

• Patient demographics
• The perception of the role and educational training of the anesthesiologist
• The role of the anesthesiologist in the hospital
• General knowledge of anesthesia
• Trust in medical specialist and anesthesiologist
• Fear and concerns about anesthesia
• Patients' expectation regarding recovery and postoperative pain
• Information for the anesthesiologist and possible points of improvement

Design:

In this monocentric, investigator-initiated, observational, cohort-study, the investigators will perform a survey in all patients that are planned to undergo elective surgery, both ambulatory as well as inpatient surgery. This study will be performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki and will be approved by the Ethical Committee of the Jessa Hospital before the start of the study. A written informed consent will be obtained before participation in the study.

Study Procedures:

Patients that are planned for elective surgery, both ambulatory and inpatient surgery, will be contacted by a researcher prior to the surgery and asked to participate in the study. After a written informed consent is obtained, the survey will be performed by a single researcher, to minimize inter-individual variability. During the survey, family or other people present in the hospital room are not allowed to help the patient. In hospital rooms where more than 1 patient is present, the survey will be performed only once.

Statistical analysis:

Based on previous, comparable studies (1,3,4), 350 patients will be included in this study. Descriptive statistics will be presented as frequencies and percentages of the total amount of patients for categorical variables, while numerical variables will be presented as mean ± SD. Multiple linear regression analysis and correlations will be calculated (depending on normality). A p-value <0.05 is considered statistical significant, while p<0.10 is considered a tendency.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 350

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Hasselt, Belgium, 3500
    • Jessa hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All patients from the Jessa Hospital, that are planned for elective surgery (both ambulatory and inpatient surgery)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males and females ≥ 18 years of age
• American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status classification: 1-3
• Patients planned to undergo surgery (both ambulatory and inpatient surgery)
• Patients that speak Dutch, French or English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients that don't speak Dutch, French or English

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The role and educational training of the anesthesiologist	The patients' perception of the work and educational training of the anesthesiologist	max 1 hour per survey

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient demographics	Gender, age, highest education level, nationality, language, medical condition	max 1 hour per survey
The role of the anesthesiologist in the hospital	The patients' perception of the workplace of an anesthesiologist in the hospital	max 1 hour per survey
General knowledge of anesthesia	The patients' perception of anesthesia in general	max 1 hour per survey
Trust in medical specialist and anesthesiologist	The patients' trust in the medical specialist and anesthesiologist	max 1 hour per survey
Fear and concerns about anesthesia	The patients' fear and concerns before the surgery	max 1 hour per survey
Recovery and postoperative pain	Several questions regarding the patients' expectation of recovery and postoperative pain	max 1 hour per survey
Information for the anesthesiologist and possible points of improvement	Possible points of improvement for the anesthesiologist	max 1 hour per survey

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Jessa Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Björn Stessel, MD, PhD, Jessa Hospital, Dep. of Anesthesiology

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Nagrampa D, Bazargan-Hejazi S, Neelakanta G, Mojtahedzadeh M, Law A, Miller M. A survey of anesthesiologists' role, trust in anesthesiologists, and knowledge and fears about anesthesia among predominantly Hispanic patients from an inner-city county preoperative anesthesia clinic. J Clin Anesth. 2015 Mar;27(2):97-104. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2014.05.012. Epub 2015 Jan 17.
• Chew ST, Tan T, Tan SS, Ip-Yam PC. A survey of patients' knowledge of anaesthesia and perioperative care. Singapore Med J. 1998 Sep;39(9):399-402.
• Hariharan S, Merritt-Charles L, Chen D. Patient perception of the role of anesthesiologists: a perspective from the Caribbean. J Clin Anesth. 2006 Nov;18(7):504-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2006.03.004.
• Gottschalk A, Seelen S, Tivey S, Gottschalk A, Rich G. What do patients know about anesthesiologists? Results of a comparative survey in an U.S., Australian, and German university hospital. J Clin Anesth. 2013 Mar;25(2):85-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2012.06.017. Epub 2013 Jan 17.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 29, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 30, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): December 30, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 11, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 19, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): January 26, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 3, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 1, 2019
• Last Verified: April 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Survey; Anesthesia; Anesthesiologist; Patient perspective
• Other Study ID Numbers: 18.04/anesth18.01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No