Survey of work practices among anesthesiologists in India

Context: Improvement in perioperative care can reduce anesthesia-related morbidity. Noncompliance to protocols and poor working practices can compromise patient safety. Aims: The objective was to survey the working practices of anesthesiologists in India and find out the most commonly overlooked aspects in perioperative period. Setting and Design: Prospective cross-sectional survey involving practicing anesthesiologists in India, conducted over a period of 2 months. Methods: An online questionnaire, including questions pertaining to pre-, intra- and post-operative phases during conduct of anesthesia was mailed to anesthesiologists (members of the Indian Society of Anesthesiologists) over a period of 2 months through the online survey builder SurveyMonkey. The questionnaire was delivered to 13,700 anesthesiologists, of which 2055 responded. Results are expressed as numbers or percentages. Results: Checklist compliance, equipment check, and perioperative record-keeping are the most commonly overlooked aspects by anesthesiologists in perioperative period. The survey also highlights the shortage of postanesthesia care units across the country. Conclusions: Checklist compliance, equipment check, and record-keeping are potential areas for improvement. Professional societies should promote better practices, monitoring standards and should also formulate minimum standards for different setups where anesthesia can be delivered safely.