title: Opinion leaders and evidence-based medicine in craniofacial surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In health care, it is widely known that evidence-based medicine (EBM) has a significant impact on clinical practice, and opinion leaders can enhance the clinician's application of EBM in various disciplines. In this article, we examine the existence and impact of opinion leaders in craniofacial surgery as well as barriers to evidence-based practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compiled the answers of an Internet questionnaire, which was sent to 102 craniofacial surgeons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results demonstrate that opinion leaders most definitely can be identified in craniofacial surgery. They are tightly connected to their field's social network and promote EBM. In this survey, 44% of craniofacial surgeons reported that their greatest obstacle to clinical decision making in the management of nonsyndromic synostosis was lack of surgical consensus. In addition, craniofacial surgeons stated that EBM and opinion leaders are the most influential factors that caused them to change their management of craniosynostosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We expect that the use of opinion leaders can further enhance the uptake of EBM in craniofacial surgery.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Gaby D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Doumit
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Papay
authors.forename: Neal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moores
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meisler
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Zins
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D032921:Consensus; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000601:surgery; D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005104:Expert Testimony; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D060756:Social Networking; D013043:Specialties, Surgical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires