The Potential for Telemedicine to Reduce Bias in Patients Seeking Facial Plastic Surgery

Telemedicine use among otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons and facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons has accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, it is unclear what impact the increased adoption of telehealth will have on the doctor-patient relationship, patients' percep...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOtolaryngology-head and neck surgery Vol. 164; no. 5; p. 909
Main Authors Salehi, Parsa P, Wong, Brian J F, Azizzadeh, Babak
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.05.2021
Subjects
Bias
Cosmetic Techniques
COVID-19 - epidemiology
Face - surgery
Humans
Pandemics
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Physician-Patient Relations
Reconstructive Surgical Procedures
SARS-CoV-2
Telemedicine
COVID-19
telemedicine
SARS-CoV-2
patient bias
telehealth
bias
surgeon selection
choosing surgeon
coronavirus
pandemic
virus
public health
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Summary:Telemedicine use among otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons and facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons has accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, it is unclear what impact the increased adoption of telehealth will have on the doctor-patient relationship, patients' perceptions of individual practices, and the likelihood of patients proceeding with the next steps toward surgery. While an understanding of these complex questions is imperative for all otolaryngologists, it is extremely important for facial plastic surgeons who focus on elective procedures, particularly cosmetic/aesthetic operations. The use of telemedicine has the potential to reduce bias among patients seeking facial plastic surgery, especially cosmetic procedures. As reports of this phenomenon are anecdotal thus far, we recommend further study into the specific criteria that patients consider when selecting a facial plastic surgeon.
ISSN:1097-6817
DOI:10.1177/0194599820964731