Key Points Question Do anesthesiologists or other anesthesia professionals engage in discussions with patients regarding decisions with implications beyond the operating room? Findings In this systematic review of the literature on communication between patients and anesthesia professionals, limited data were found on communication regarding perioperative decisions with implications that reach beyond the operating room. These data suggest that communication between patients and anesthesia professionals during preoperative encounters is dominated by discussion of anesthetic planning and perioperative logistics, with variable discussion of risks vs benefits and infrequent discussion of postoperative care or elicitation of patient values and preferences. Meaning These findings suggest that patients who become critically ill following scheduled surgical interventions are unlikely to have had discussions with their anesthesiologist regarding values and preferences for navigating complex postoperative care decisions, such as prolonged invasive ventilation, protracted hospital stay with incomplete recovery, or end-of-life care.