Social Media Utilization Among Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: Social media represents a novel platform for patient-physician interaction. Although social media utilization patterns have been analyzed in other fields, no such study has been performed in shoulder and elbow specialists. METHODS: The membership database of the society of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons was queried. Online searches were performed to identify if each surgeon had professional profiles on popular social media platforms. A social media score was then calculated, defined as the number of active accounts. Statistical analysis was used to test for associations between demographics and social media utilization. RESULTS: Six hundred seventy-six surgeons were analyzed. The average social media score was 1.61. The most highly used platform was LinkedIn (61%). The least used platform was Instagram (5% active, 11% total). Female surgeons were more likely to use Instagram than men (12.5% versus 4.9%). Academic surgeons were more likely to use ResearchGate (46.5% versus 33.3%), whereas private practice surgeons were more likely to have a website (19.9% versus 11.7%). Practitioners from the South had the lowest social media utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder and elbow surgeons underuse social media. As the influence of social media continues to grow, it will be important for surgeons to implement social media within their practices.

Ask the consumer: an innovative approach to dementia-related adult day service evaluation.

Historically, family caregivers have been considered the "consumers" when evaluating respite programs for persons with dementia offered by adult day service (ADS) centers. The purpose of this article is to describe a unique evaluation of ADS conducted directly with persons with dementia. Seventeen persons who regularly attended the Silver Club, an ADS program associated with the University of Michigan Turner Geriatric Clinic, were interviewed by an independent, trained interviewer using a single group, one-time, cross-sectional administration of a consumer satisfaction survey. Fifteen persons were able to complete the interview successfully. The implication of this evaluation is that when specially designed procedures are used, persons with dementia are capable of contributing usable data to consumer satisfaction surveys. Including the voice of this vulnerable population improves the quality of an agency 's overall evaluation process and supports the basic philosophy of ADS to preserve the self-worth, independence, and dignity of cognitively impaired individuals.

Dementia care: critical interactions among primary care physicians, patients and caregivers.

Enormous progress has been made in understanding and treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementing illnesses, and developing home and community-based support services to assist patients and their families. This article reviews the range of interactions and barriers physicians, patients who have dementia, and their families face over the course of the disease. In addition, strategies are presented which enhance referral of patients and families to appropriate community support services.

Attitudes toward the diagnosis and disclosure of dementia among family caregivers and primary care physicians.

PURPOSE: This study examined attitudes of caregivers and physicians toward assessing and diagnosing dementia, with an emphasis on how a diagnosis is disclosed. DESIGN AND METHODS: Seventeen focus group interviews were conducted with caregivers or physicians from three sites; 52 caregivers participated in nine interviews (three each at the three sites), and 39 physicians participated in eight interviews (three each at two sites; two at one site). Structured interview protocols were used to assess diagnostic disclosure, first reactions, and suggestions for improving the diagnostic process. RESULTS: Caregivers recounted a highly negative emotional response to the disclosure, whereas many physicians reported that families handled the information well. Caregivers expressed a range of preferences for how the diagnosis should have been disclosed, from a direct approach to having the physician ease them into the results. IMPLICATIONS: Whenever possible, physicians should consult with the patient and family at the outset of the diagnostic process to better understand their preferences for diagnostic disclosure. Addressing diagnostic disclosure as part of physician education programs on dementia is recommended.

The development of an Alzheimer's disease channel for the Michigan Interactive Health Kiosk Project.

The overall objective of this article is to describe the development and implementation of an Alzheimer's disease (AD) module for the Michigan Interactive Health Kiosk Project. This project provides access to health information via 100 kiosks located in public places throughout the state (e.g., churches, senior centers, schools, shopping malls, grocery stores, hospitals) using interactive multimedia software. Because the kiosk screen was designed to resemble a television set, program modules are referred to as "channels." The AD channel is designed to increase knowledge and awareness of the disease among the general public. After an overview of the overall project, the steps involved in developing the AD channel and strategies designed to monitor its use are described, including touch-screen usage data and an on-line user survey. Finally, marketing and promotion of the channel and the implications of this initiative for disseminating information about AD are discussed.