Social media usage among orthopaedic patients: what do they value most in orthopaedic surgeons' accounts?

Aims: Individuals use social media for various health-related purposes, such as gathering information about their illnesses, contacting healthcare professionals, learning about other patients’ experiences with doctors, and making informed decisions when selecting doctors. The aims of this study are (I) to evaluate orthopaedic patients’ utilisation of social media and (II) to ascertain the factors that are of greatest importance to patients in relation to orthopaedic surgeons’ social media accounts. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 1018 patients in the orthopaedic outpatient department between November and December 2023. Patients filled out a questionnaire consisting of 15 questions about patients’ personal information (gender, age, and education level), social media preferences, social media experiences, and the content of orthopaedic surgeons’ social media accounts. Results: 80.4% of the orthopedic patients surveyed were actively using at least one social media platform. Within the group of social media users, Instagram stood out as the most preferred platform, with a usage rate of 82.4%. Patients reported that 45.8% believe it is essential for doctors to maintain a presence on social media Patients were most interested (65.1%) in educational videos on orthopaedic surgeons’ social media accounts. Conclusion: The vast majority of orthopaedic patients are active users of social media, and a significant proportion of orthopaedic patients would like their doctors to have a social media presence. Orthopaedic surgeons should adapt their social media strategies to align with their patient population in order to effectively reach and engage with them.