(415) Online Reviews, Social Media, and Surgeon Selection in Facial Plastic Surgery

Introduction: Patients increasingly use digital sources when selecting facial plastic surgeons, yet the relative influence of online patient reviews versus social media in academic otolaryngology practices remains unclear. This study aimed to characterize how these digital platforms influence surgeon selection and the decision to proceed with treatment.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study conducted among patients who sought consultation with facial plastic surgeons at an academic medical center from 2005-2023. Adult patients presenting for facial plastic surgery consultation, including cosmetic and reconstructive indications, were invited to complete an electronic survey. The survey collected demographic information, consultation and procedural characteristics, and patient-reported use of online patient reviews and social media in selecting a surgeon and deciding whether to proceed with treatment. No interventions were performed. Primary outcome measures included patient-reported influence of online reviews and social media on surgeon selection and treatment pursuit. Independent variables included demographic factors, consultation characteristics, and procedural status. Preliminary analyses consisted of descriptive statistics using available-case denominators.

Results: A total of 119 survey responses were analyzed. Online patient reviews were reported to influence surgeon selection by 16.2% of respondents, whereas social media influenced surgeon selection for 2.7% of respondents. Among respondents reporting review influence, commonly utilized platforms included Google, the institutional hospital website, and third-party physician review sites, while social media influence was infrequently reported.

Conclusions: In this cohort of patients, online patient reviews influenced surgeon selection for a subset of respondents, whereas social media played a limited role in decision-making. These findings suggest that maintaining accurate online review profiles and institutional web content may be more relevant to patient decision-making than social media engagement.