Social Media Use and Impact On Plastic Surgery Practice

Purpose: Social media (SM) has revolutionized the way in which people communicate, network, and develop relationships. However, little data exists on how SM has been adopted by plastic surgeons.  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which SM platforms have been implemented by practicing plastic surgeons and what effect that implementation has had on their practices.

Methods: An anonymous web-based survey of members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) was conducted using a 26-question survey instrument that assessed how members currently utilize SM. Responses were analyzed to determine current trends in SM use among respondents.

Results: A majority of plastic surgeons surveyed currently use SM to develop or maintain professional relationships (51.6%). When asked why they use SM, the feeling that incorporation of SM into medical practice is inevitable (57.5%), that SM provides a platform to educate patients (50.3%), and that SM is an effective marketing tool (47.1%) were the most common responses (Figure 1). Two-thirds of respondents (66.1%) reported that SM has had no overall effect on their practice in the last year and one-third (33%) reported a positive impact. One-quarter of respondents (25.6%) reported having been the target of patient criticism or negative commentary disseminated through SM.  In response, plastic surgeons have encouraged other patients to post positive reviews on websites (38%) or have offered no response (43%). Nearly one-third (32.6%) of respondents have limited their SM use due to concerns about patient confidentiality, and one-quarter (25.3%) believe that the ASPS, ABPS, or similar body should monitor surgeon use of SM for individual practitioners' adherence to ethical standards. Perceived benefits of SM include a low-cost means of advertising (69.4%) and increased practice exposure (62.4%) (Figure 2). 

Conclusions:  The use of SM is pervasive in our field. While many plastic surgeons see it as a way to positively promote their practices and provide patient education, others have been subject to negative online postings from patients. The role that our professional societies will play in monitoring surgeons' ethical use of SM platforms, in providing assistance to surgeons with responses to negative online attacks, or in establishing guidelines to ensure best practices with regard to patient confidentiality will continue to evolve.

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Figure 2: