How do patients choose their surgeon? Example of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION

In this age of social media, with an ever-higher profile for surgery and rankings for the general public, patients' criteria for choosing a surgeon or team are not precisely known, especially in France. We therefore conducted a prospective study concerning anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: (1) to determine how patients came to know their surgeon; (2) to identify factors affecting final choice.

HYPOTHESIS

Patients' choice of surgeon is affected by scores found in social media and rankings found in the press.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A prospective continuous study included all patients operated on, without standardization of technique, in 3 hospitals (public and private sector). An anonymous questionnaire on surgeon selection criteria, scored 0 to 10, was distributed on a voluntary basis on the day of surgery scheduling.

RESULTS

One hundred and five patients were included. They had come to know of their surgeon via family or friends or their personal physician in more than two-thirds of cases. The essential criterion of final choice was the clarity of the written and oral information provided in consultation (mean score, 8.09±1.83). Other factors included wait-time to surgery (7.39±2.25) and to first consultation (7.26±2.01) and the surgeon's reputation (7.42/10±2.43).

CONCLUSION

"Word of mouth" and the quality if information provided in consultation motivated final choice, more than any influence of social media or press hospital rankings.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; prospective observational study without control group.