The Social Media Presence of Professional Sports Team Physicians Is High Among Major League Soccer, Major League Lacrosse, Major League Rugby, Winter Olympics, and Women's National Basketball Association, But Highest Among MLS Team Physicians.

Purpose: To quantify the social media utilization of professional sports team physicians on popular platforms and analyze differences between physician users and physician non-users for smaller major professional sports: Major League Soccer (MLS), Major League Lacrosse (MLL), Major League Rugby (MLR), Winter Olympics (WO) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Methods: Physicians for the MLS, MLL, MLR, WO, and WNBA were identified and characterized based on training background, practice setting, years of experience, and geographic location. Social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and ResearchGate were determined. Differences between social media users and non-users were analyzed via chi-squared tests for nonparametric variables. Secondary analysis consisted of univariate logistic regression to identify associated factors. Results: 86 team physicians were identified. 73.3% of physicians had at least one social media profile. 80.2% of physicians were orthopedic surgeons. Specifically, 22.1% had a professional Facebook page, 24.4% had a professional Twitter page, 58.1% had a LinkedIn profile, 25.6% a ResearchGate profile, and 9.3% an Instagram account. All physicians with a social media presence were fellowship-trained. Conclusions: Seventy-three percent of team physicians in the MLS, MLL, MLR, WO, or WNBA have social media presence, with over half using LinkedIn. Fellowship-trained physicians were significantly more likely to use social media, and 100% of physicians with social media presence were fellowship trained. MLS and WO team physicians were significantly more likely to use LinkedIn (P = .02). MLS team physicians were significantly more likely to use social media overall (P = .004). No other metric significantly impacted social media presence. Clinical Relevance: The influence of social media is vast. It is important to explore the extent that sports team physicians utilize social media and how this use may influence patient care.

Family Medicine Musculoskeletal Medicine Education: A CERA Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Musculoskeletal (MSK) concerns constitute up to 40% of primary care outpatient visits. Despite Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) family medicine program requirements for musculoskeletal medicine and sports medicine training, previous studies have shown that family medicine residency graduates do not have adequate training to manage common musculoskeletal conditions. Factors for this may include deficiencies in education at both the undergraduate and graduate medical education training levels. METHODS: A Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance survey of 287 family medicine program directors assessed the current state of the delivery of musculoskeletal medicine education. Opinions were gathered on the scope and delivery of training requirements as well as potential areas for further curricular attention. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-seven program directors responded to the survey (response rate 41.53%). Most (72.60%) were in university based or affiliated programs and had a fellowship-trained primary care sports medicine physician (59.85%) curricular lead. A majority (77.4%) did not feel that PGY-1 residents enter residency with the physical exam skills needed to evaluate common musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions , and most (81.15%) did not feel that there should be changes to the current ACGME requirements. An area highlighted for further investment is faculty development in point-of-care ultrasound (39.85%). CONCLUSIONS: Although program directors believe that current ACGME MSK curricular requirements are likely appropriate, they do not feel residents arrive with the examination skills needed to evaluate common MSK conditions.Therefore, further attention can be given to medical student education in musculoskeletal exam skills prior to residency. Future research should develop objective measures using multiple assessors-students, residents, teaching faculty, and patients-to assess both the baseline and graduating competency in MSK medicine of our residents.

Fellowship Training Is a Significant Predictor of Sports Medicine Physician Social Media Presence.

PURPOSE: To quantify social media use of professional sports team physicians on popular platforms and analyze differences between users and nonusers. METHODS: Team physicians for professional sports teams in the National Football League, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, and National Basketball Association were identified and characterized based on training background, practice setting, and geographic location. Rates of social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and ResearchGate were determined. Differences between social media users and nonusers were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 505 professional team physicians were identified across 4 major professional sports; 64.6% of physicians were orthopaedic surgeons. Of 505 physicians, 65.7% had a social media presence. More specifically, 21.8% had a professional Facebook page, 22.6% a professional Twitter page, 52.1% a LinkedIn profile, 21.4% a ResearchGate profile, and 9.1% an Instagram account. Fellowship-trained physicians (P = .008) had greater odds of having a social media presence. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly two-thirds of professional team physicians have a social media presence, most commonly LinkedIn. Fellowship training is a significant predictor of sports medicine physician social media presence. Sports league affiliation, training background, practice setting, and geographic location are unrelated to social media presence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, cross-sectional study.

Over-prescribing of antibiotics and imaging in the management of uncomplicated URIs in emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: Unnecessary use of resources for common illnesses has substantial effect on patient care and costs. Evidence-based guidelines do not recommend antibiotics or imaging for uncomplicated upper respiratory infections (URIs). The objective of the current study was to examine medical care providers' compliance with guidelines in treating uncomplicated URIs in emergency departments (EDs) in the US. METHODS: Nationally representative data from the NHAMCS 2007 and 2008 were used. Uncomplicated URIs were identified through ICD-9 codes of nasopharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, URI not otherwise specified and influenza involving upper respiratory tract. Exclusion criteria were concurrent comorbidities, follow-up visits, and age < 18 or >64 years. Most frequently prescribed classes of antibiotics were identified. Multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the factors associated with the prescribing of antibiotics and use of imaging studies. RESULTS: In 2007 and 2008, there were 2.2 million adult uncomplicated URI visits without any other concurrent diagnoses in EDs in the US. Approximately 52% were given antibiotic prescriptions, over one-third of which were macrolides, and nearly half of the visits performed imaging studies. About 51% had a diagnosis of bronchitis, 35% URI NOS, 9% nasopharyngitis, laryngitis or influenza, and 4% multiple URI diagnoses. The diagnosis of bronchitis, fever at presentation, older ages, male gender, longer waiting time, and metropolitan areas were associated with a greater likelihood of prescribing antibiotics or imaging studies, controlling for confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Despite the recommendations and campaign efforts by the CDC and many medical associations, the prescribing of antibiotics in treating uncomplicated URIs in the EDs remains prevalent. Furthermore, overutilization of imaging studies is prevalent. Changes at levels of health care system and hospitals are needed to avoid unnecessary resource utilization. In addition, further patient education about antibiotic use in the community may greatly facilitate the transition out of an antibiotic-dependent consumer culture.