Objective: The role of the anaesthesiologist as an independent specialist and patients‘ view of themwere examined in many studies. Studies performed in English speaking countries show that only 54 to 89 per cent of patients undergoing surgery realize that their anaesthesiologist has a medical qualification; this number is higher than 90% in German speaking countries. The goal of this study was to determine opinions and attitudes of patients in the Czech Republic. Design: An anonymous questionnaire-based survey. Setting: Dept. of Anaesthesiolgy and Intensive Care, University Hospital Method: Patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia were asked a day prior to the operation to fill in the prepared questionnaire before the preanaesthetic visit. In its first part questions concerning position of the anaesthesiologist, his practice and responsibility were given, in the second part attitudes towards getting information before the operation, the importance of the anaesthesiologist during the surgery and towards postoperative pain and notions about the course of anaesthesia were studied. In the last part some demographic data were collected. Results: 121 completed questionnaries out of 150 distributed were collected.92% of the patients identified the anaesthesiologist as a physician. 62% of the patients estimated the length of anaesthesiologists‘ training to be 6 years including the university study,17% of the patients estimated 9 years.36% of interviewed patients thought that the anaesthesiologist works only in an operating room.The activities of the anaesthesiologist include regional anaesthesia (according to 77%of patients), resuscitation and emergency treatment (53%), care of ICU patients (49%), postoperative analgesia (41%), obstetric analgesia (28%), management of chronic pain (14%). 94% of patients knew that the anaesthesiologist is present during the whole surgery, 40% that the anaesthesiologist is a physician of the whole perioperative period. 92% of interviewed patients considered anaesthesiologist to be responsible for the induction of anaesthesia, 69% for the painlessness during the surgery, 54% for the patient’s general condition,17% for the administration of drugs, fluids and blood preparations and 14% for the treatment of possible complications. 40% of patients thought that the anaesthesia team was subordinated to the surgical one during the surgery. Conclusion: More than 90% of patients were aware that the anaesthesiologist is a physician. However, the knowledge of his practice and responsibility is low.

        Key words: anaesthesiologist – role – survey