Choosing a thoracic surgeon in Türkiye: Which criteria do patients pay attention to?

This study aims to identify main factors playing a role in patient's selection of a thoracic surgeon in Türkiye.

Between July 2022 and June 2024, a total of 147 patients (96 males, 41 females; mean age: 56.1±14.7 years; range, 19 to 93 years) who underwent lung resection and completed an anonymous questionnaire sent via e-mail or cell-phone were included. Demographic data of the patients, surgeon's educational and medical background, advertisements and popularity, age and sex, appearance and communication skills, and surgeon's working center were evaluated.

"Spending adequate time with patients" had the highest score, while "the distance between surgeon's center and patient's home" had the lowest score. In general, criteria about surgeon's appearance and communication skills, and surgeon's working center had significantly the highest rates, whereas those of surgeon's advertisements and popularity had the lowest rates (p<0.05). Recommendation by another doctor or family doctor was insignificantly more important than by non-medical person. Patients were not influenced with internet reviews or scoring about the surgeon, presence of surgeon's personal web page, or social media accounts, or age/sex of the surgeon (p>0.05).

Turkish patients mostly take into consideration the attitudes of the surgeon rather than surgeon's reputation and professional experience, while selecting a thoracic surgeon. Surgeon-patient interaction is highly important for Turkish patients. Social media and advertisements are not important criteria in the selection of thoracic surgeon in Türkiye.