title: A plastic surgeon's guide to applying smartphone technology in patient care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The vast array of information technology available to plastic surgeons continues to expand. With the recent introduction of smartphone application ("app") technology to the market, the potential for incorporating both social media and app technology into daily practice exists.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors describe and evaluate the smartphone applications most pertinent to plastic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Smartphone apps from all available markets were analyzed for various factors, including popularity among general consumers, ease of use, and functionality. Using various advertising guidelines from plastic surgery societies as well as the US Food and Drug Administration, each app's content was further analyzed within the context of ethical obligations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The apps with the highest number of ratings were those offering the option to upload photos and morph each photo according to the user's own preference. The title of apps also appears to play a role in popularity. A majority of apps demonstrated the same features available on websites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The applicability of social media marketing via smartphone apps has the potential to change future patient-surgeon interactions by offering more personalized and user-friendly encounters. The role of smartphone apps is important to the future of plastic surgery as long as plastic surgeons maintain an active role in the development of these apps to ensure their value.
authors: Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92334, USA.
authors: Adrienne D
authors: AD
authors: Workman
authors: Subhas C
authors: SC
authors: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods; D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000379:methods*; D040421:Cell Phone; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000379:methods; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration; D061108:Social Media; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration