Online and Social Media Footprint of All Swedish Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons

Assessment of the online presence and regulatory compliance of dental practice websites in France

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the online presence of French dental practices that have a professional website. Secondly, the degree of compliance of practices' websites with the current regulatory framework was assessed.

Methods

Open data was used to identify a 5% random sample of private dental practices in France (n = 1370 facilities). Then, a manual search was made on Google to find the website for each practice. When found, the website was analyzed using criteria.

Results

Only 25.9% of dental practices have a functional and referenced website, allowing 28.9% of the dentists in the sample to have an online presence. Disparities exist depending on the geographical location of the facility and its type. The assessment of website content uncovered a lack of compliance with the existing regulatory framework, exhibiting variations based on the type of facility and the person who designed the website. Hiring a specialized web design provider for dentists enhances compliance with laws and guidelines, though it doesn't guarantee complete adherence.

Conclusions

The online presence of dental practices and dentists in France is limited. Where they do exist, dental practice websites generally do not comply with legal requirements and guidelines for online communication. Efforts should be made to improve the information provided to patients.

Social Media Popularity and Academic Productivity in Academic Plastic Surgery: A Positive Correlation

BACKGROUND

Social media is a powerful tool that has empowered plastic surgeons to easily collaborate with one another and rapidly publicize research progression. The present study investigates the relationship between academic productivity and social media presence among both integrated and independent plastic surgery programs and their faculty.

METHODS

Plastic surgery programs on the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons website were included. Faculty were identified via review of each program's website. Following metrics of academic productivity were collected for each faculty member: h-index, i10-index, number of publications, and number of citations. Online review was then conducted to identify faculty and program Instagram and Twitter accounts, and the number of associated followers and posts.

RESULTS

Integrated plastic surgery programs were more likely to have an Instagram account (p < 0.001), have higher average faculty h-index (p = 0.027), i10-index (p = 0.027), and number of publications (p = 0.042). A number of Instagram followers were significantly associated with average faculty h-index (p < 0.001), i10-index (p < 0.001), and number of publications (p < 0.001). The number of posts on a program's Instagram significantly predicted average faculty h-index (p < 0.001), i10-index (p < 0.001), and number of publications (p < 0.001). Twitter followers were significantly associated with average faculty h-index (p = 0.0397), i10-index (p = 0.0432), and number of citations (p = 0.00737).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reveals a correlation between metrics of social media popularity and academic productivity of plastic surgeons. We propose that Instagram and Twitter are effective tools with which plastic surgeons may not only publicize their clinical practice, but also rapidly disseminate important innovations among the medical community. Integrated plastic surgery programs and their faculty have significantly higher utilization of social media platforms. The number of followers and posts on a program's Instagram have a significantly positive correlation with average faculty's academic productivity. Social media platforms may empower academic plastic surgeons to disseminate their innovations on a larger scale.

NO LEVEL ASSIGNED

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The Digital Footprint of Academic Plastic Surgeons

INTRODUCTION

The digital age and global pandemic have transformed the way patients select their plastic surgeon. However, as more patients turn to online resources, there is little information on the digital presence of academic plastic surgeons.

METHODS

We identified all academic faculty from integrated and independent plastic surgery residency programs. Using a Google-based custom search, the top 10 search results for each surgeon were extracted and categorized as surgeon noncontrolled (eg, physician rating websites) or controlled (eg, social media, institutional, and research profiles).

RESULTS

Eight hundred four academic plastic surgeons were included. Most search results were surgeon-noncontrolled sites (57%, n = 4547). Being male (odds ratio [OR], 0.60, P = 0.0020) and holding a higher academic rank (OR = 0.61, P < 0.0001) significantly decreased the prevalence of physician rating websites, whereas career length was significantly associated with a greater number of rating websites (OR = 1.04, P < 0.0001). Surgeon-controlled websites were significantly influenced by academic rank and years in practice; higher academic rank was associated with more social media platforms (OR = 1.42, P = 0.0008), institutional webpages (OR = 1.57, P < 0.0001), and research profiles (OR = 1.62, P = 0.0008). Conversely, longer career duration was a predictor for fewer social media platforms (OR = 0.95, P < 0.0001) and institutional webpages (OR = 0.95, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Academic plastic surgeons do not hold control of the majority of their search results. However, digitally savvy plastic surgeons can focus attention by building on certain areas to optimize their digital footprint. This study can serve as a guide for academic plastic surgeons wishing to control their online presence.

Social Media and Plastic Surgery Practice Building: A Thin Line Between Efficient Marketing, Professionalism, and Ethics

Social media sites and platforms have grown in numbers with an enormous potential to reach and disseminate information in real time. They are impacting tremendously for better or for worse on the current practice of plastic surgery. As the demand for elective plastic surgery, in particular for aesthetic procedures, continues to rise, there is a need to determine the influence of social media advertisements and how it motivates the public to undergo cosmetic procedures. Most importantly, there is an urgent need to determine how the social media are impacting plastic surgery practice building and what is proper and efficient marketing while upholding ethics of the medical profession? A thorough PICO tool-based comprehensive literature search was conducted. Fifty-one peer-reviewed publications, 15 patient-centered, 33 provider-centered, and three combined patient/provider were identified to be relevant to the use of social media in plastic surgery and were selected for this review. Evidence on how social media influences the medical practice and helps in practice building remains scarce; nevertheless, reliance of plastic surgeons on social media to improve their practice has been increasing steadily. Social media may be a powerful tool to promote one's career. It presents, however, serious professional, legal, and ethical challenges including maintenance of professionalism and protecting patient confidentiality. If misused, it may be a quick way to end a plastic surgery practice.Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Social media in surgery: evolving role in research communication and beyond

PURPOSE

To present social media (SoMe) platforms for surgeons, how these are used, with what impact, and their roles for research communication.

METHODS

A narrative review based on a literature search regarding social media use, of studies and findings pertaining to surgical disciplines, and the authors' own experience.

RESULTS

Several social networking platforms for surgeons are presented to the reader. The more frequently used, i.e., Twitter, is presented with details of opportunities, specific fora for communication, presenting tips for effective use, and also some caveats to use. Details of how the surgical community evolved through the use of the hashtag #SoMe4Surgery are presented. The impact on gender diversity in surgery through important hashtags (from #ILookLikeASurgeon to #MedBikini) is discussed. Practical tips on generating tweets and use of visual abstracts are presented, with influence on post-production distribution of journal articles through "tweetorials" and "tweetchats." Findings from seminal studies on SoMe and the impact on traditional metrics (regular citations) and alternative metrics (Altmetrics, including tweets, retweets, news outlet mentions) are presented. Some concerns on misuse and SoMe caveats are discussed.

CONCLUSION

Over the last two decades, social media has had a huge impact on science dissemination, journal article discussions, and presentation of conference news. Immediate and real-time presentation of studies, articles, or presentations has flattened hierarchy for participation, debate, and engagement. Surgeons should learn how to use novel communication technology to advance the field and further professional and public interaction.

The Evolution of Patients' and Surgeons' Perspectives Towards the Role of the Internet and Social Media in Breast Augmentation Over 5 Years

BACKGROUND

The influence of the internet and social media (SoMe) in the decision-making of patients is recognized. Plastic surgeons are aware of this trend but are entangled between ethics, professionalism, and business acumen.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the authors presented the evolution of perspectives of patients and surgeons recruited through a private clinic over 5 years.

METHODS

A questionnaire was administered to patients consulting for primary breast augmentation in 2014, 2017, and 2019. Plastic surgeons who worked at or visited the Akademikliniken in 2014, 2017, and 2019 completed a separate questionnaire.

RESULTS

In total, 1646 patient responses were collected. Patients who started their information gathering with the internet increased from 68.0% to 72.9%, and 94.1% of patients looked for information about aesthetic surgery on the internet before their consultation. Patients who read about aesthetic surgery on SoMe increased 29.1%. Of 462 surgeons recruited, 62% opined that the majority of patients had gathered information online before consultation. Fewer surgeons in 2019 thought that the internet and SoMe led to better information (down from 61.7% to 35.2%). An increase from 38.3% to 65.3% of surgeons attributed it to unrealistic expectations. However, only 9.7% of surgeons would support removal of plastic surgery material from SoMe compared with 21.9% in 2014.

CONCLUSIONS

The increased utilization and influence of the internet and SoMe on patients and surgeons is rapid. Aesthetic plastic surgeons must equip themselves to cope with the risks and capitalize on the opportunity for patient engagement and public education.