Social Media Use Among Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgeons

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Digital Health
• Medical Marketing

Background:

• Digital media is crucial for brand recognition, influencing over 40% of patient physician selection.
• Social media's role in healthcare marketing and patient engagement is increasingly significant.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate social media utilization by foot and ankle (F&A) orthopedic surgeons.
• To determine the impact of social media presence on physician-rated website (PRW) scores.

Main Methods:

• 123 board-certified F&A orthopedic surgeons were analyzed.
• A social media use index (SMI) was developed based on platform usage.
• SMI and individual platform use were correlated with Healthgrades scores using statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• Social media adoption varied: Facebook (48.8%), LinkedIn (47.9%), group websites (52.9%), YouTube (23.6%), personal websites (24.4%), Twitter (15.4%), Instagram (0%).
• Surgeons with a YouTube page showed significantly higher Healthgrades scores.
• Age correlated with platform choice: older surgeons used Facebook, younger surgeons used group websites.

Conclusions:

• F&A orthopedic surgeons demonstrate underutilization of social media platforms.
• A YouTube presence emerged as the most impactful social media platform for enhancing Healthgrades scores.
• Physicians should actively manage their digital presence, incorporating a YouTube channel to promote their practice.