[What do our patients want? Patients' expectations and requests during an initial plastic surgery consultation]

The growing media exposure of plastic, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgery, particularly through social networks, significantly influences patient expectations. Understanding these expectations during initial consultations is essential to improving patient care and satisfaction.

To identify the primary expectations of patients during a first consultation and analyze variations according to demographic groups and reasons for consultation.

A survey was conducted among 104 patients attending their first consultation at the plastic surgery department of a university hospital in Paris. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data on key criteria for patients, including the practitioner's attitude, consultation duration, and the influence of social networks and scientific publications.

The most valued criteria were the surgeon's empathetic attitude (median: 10/10) and precise explanations (median: 10/10). Teleconsultation was poorly accepted by 77.9% of respondents. The ideal duration of a first consultation was 15 to 30min for 62.5% of patients. Social networks were considered important by 43% of patients, mainly for before/after photos. Scientific publications were valued by 55% of participants. Patients consulting for aesthetic reasons were more likely to consider social networking publications important (52%) than those with non-aesthetic reasons (34%). Among patients, 40% were referred by a doctor, while 21% discovered the surgeon via social networks. Finally, clear differences were observed between younger and older patients, notably concerning their tolerance of teleconsultation and their mode of discovery of the practitioner.

Patients emphasize the need for empathetic and detailed communication. Plastic surgeons can leverage these findings to adapt their practice and enhance the consultation experience.