RESUMO
BACKGROUND: To study the influence of the internet on the patient's choice about Total Knee Replacement surgery and about their choice of surgeon for their Total Knee Replacement procedure. SIGNIFICANCE: Insight into patient's decision making will help the surgeon to increase his/her visibility and also will help in providing true and reliable information about the patient's ailment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 200 patients who were operated by a single surgeon. They were given a questionnaire which had various questions regarding their name, age, sex, date of operation. It also had leading questions like did you or your relative searched the net about the operation and the operating surgeon? The information was collected by self filled questionnaire form. RESULTS: There were 166 females and 34 males. 70% of to be operated patients or their relatives searched the net before undergoing the Total knee replacement. Also 36% of patient relatives (mainly son or daughter) searched the surgeon on the net before finalizing the operation. 10% of patients searched the operating surgeon on the internet. 15% of patients or their relatives chose the operating surgeon based on their net search. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that a sizable number of decision makers (patients and their children) search the information about the operation and about their operating surgeon. Hence it is recommended that the surgeon should have an information portal to increase his/her visibility, patient reach and imparting proper information to the prospective patients regarding the operative procedure.
