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The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice

BACKGROUND: In the patient-driven market of aesthetic surgery, an understanding of the factors that patients consider in their choice of surgeon can inform the individual plastic surgeon’s marketing strategy. Previous studies have investigated patient gender preferences for physicians in other speci...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Huis in ’t Veld, Eva A., Canales, Francisco L., Furnas, Heather J.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5434485/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27913412
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjw180
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author Huis in ’t Veld, Eva A.
Canales, Francisco L.
Furnas, Heather J.
author_facet Huis in ’t Veld, Eva A.
Canales, Francisco L.
Furnas, Heather J.
author_sort Huis in ’t Veld, Eva A.
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: In the patient-driven market of aesthetic surgery, an understanding of the factors that patients consider in their choice of surgeon can inform the individual plastic surgeon’s marketing strategy. Previous studies have investigated patient gender preferences for physicians in other specialties, but none has investigated whether patients consider gender when choosing a plastic surgeon. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a plastic surgeon’s gender on patient choice. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in a single private practice of two plastic surgeons, one male and one female, both closely matched in training, experience, and reputation. Two hundred consecutive patients calling for a consultation were asked if they preferred a male or female doctor; their preference, age, and area(s) of interest were recorded. RESULTS: All patients were women. Nearly half (46%) had no gender preference, 26% requested a female surgeon, and 1% requested a male. Preference for a female surgeon was significant (Binomial-test: P < 0.001). The remaining 27% requested a specific doctor, with slightly more requesting (53.7%) the male surgeon by name, than requested the female surgeon by name (46.3%), a difference that was not statistically significant (P = 0.683). CONCLUSIONS: Most female patients interested in aesthetic surgery have no gender preference. Of those who do, nearly all requested a female plastic surgeon. More important than a plastic surgeon’s gender, however, is a plastic surgeon’s reputation.
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spelling pubmed-54344852017-05-22 The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice Huis in ’t Veld, Eva A. Canales, Francisco L. Furnas, Heather J. Aesthet Surg J Original Article BACKGROUND: In the patient-driven market of aesthetic surgery, an understanding of the factors that patients consider in their choice of surgeon can inform the individual plastic surgeon’s marketing strategy. Previous studies have investigated patient gender preferences for physicians in other specialties, but none has investigated whether patients consider gender when choosing a plastic surgeon. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a plastic surgeon’s gender on patient choice. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in a single private practice of two plastic surgeons, one male and one female, both closely matched in training, experience, and reputation. Two hundred consecutive patients calling for a consultation were asked if they preferred a male or female doctor; their preference, age, and area(s) of interest were recorded. RESULTS: All patients were women. Nearly half (46%) had no gender preference, 26% requested a female surgeon, and 1% requested a male. Preference for a female surgeon was significant (Binomial-test: P < 0.001). The remaining 27% requested a specific doctor, with slightly more requesting (53.7%) the male surgeon by name, than requested the female surgeon by name (46.3%), a difference that was not statistically significant (P = 0.683). CONCLUSIONS: Most female patients interested in aesthetic surgery have no gender preference. Of those who do, nearly all requested a female plastic surgeon. More important than a plastic surgeon’s gender, however, is a plastic surgeon’s reputation. Oxford University Press 2017-04 2016-12-02 /pmc/articles/PMC5434485/ /pubmed/27913412 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjw180 Text en © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions@oup.com
spellingShingle Original Article
Huis in ’t Veld, Eva A.
Canales, Francisco L.
Furnas, Heather J.
The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice
title The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice
title_full The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice
title_fullStr The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice
title_full_unstemmed The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice
title_short The Impact of a Plastic Surgeon’s Gender on Patient Choice
title_sort impact of a plastic surgeon’s gender on patient choice
topic Original Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5434485/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27913412
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjw180
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