From the Vault: Patient reviews, clinical experience, and original medical content outweigh social media presence for most patients
From the JDD Vault, this cross sectional survey provides timely insight into how patients use social media when selecting a dermatologist. The study sampled an online population and collected 715 completed responses to assess which aspects of dermatologists’ social media sites patients find most useful and how influential social media is in the decision to seek care.
Most respondents reported social media to be only slightly important or not important when choosing a dermatologist. Across the cohort, patient reviews were rated most valuable, followed by years of experience and medical information authored by the dermatologist. Younger patients, cosmetic seekers, and respondents with fewer years of education placed greater importance on social media compared with their counterparts. The investigators note potential selection bias because the survey was distributed via SurveyMonkey users.
For practicing dermatology clinicians and clinic teams, the findings suggest that digital strategies should prioritize patient reviews, clear presentation of clinical experience, and high quality medical content rather than focusing solely on broad social media activity.
Read the full JDD article for survey items, subgroup analyses, and practical suggestions to align online presence with what patients say they value.
Blog write-up assisted by AI
