The top social media influencers in obstetrics and gynecology on twitter

Abstract

Social media has transformed medicine allowing physicians to connect with their colleagues, share medical knowledge, and promote academic publications [1]. Physicians can also connect with patients, disseminating pertinent medical knowledge [2]. Because of the accessibility of social media and the large number of users posting information, it is important to identify reliable individuals for patients and physicians to follow. This study identifies the top medical journals, organizations, and physician influencers in ob/gyn and related subspecialties on Twitter. We compared rank with journal impact factor and physician h-index. The purpose of this study is to identify reliable and active ob/gyn influencers. This study will allow physicians and patients to identify key individuals to follow in ob/gyn and have confidence they are reading reliable information. We modeled our methods on a previous study by Riccio et. al [3], utilizing the Right Relevance API (rightrelevance.com, San Francisco, CA, United States) to collect Twitter influencer scores on June 28, 2022. Right Relevance API assesses Twitter users' followers/followings and engagement (views, likes, retweets) to provide a numerical rank of influence. It uses graph partitioning to determine influence scores for topic searches [4]. We searched "obgyn" and abstracted the top 10 medical journals, top 10 organizations, and top 100 physician influencers. The following specialties were included: female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, gynecology oncology, maternal–fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology, complex family planning, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, pediatric & adolescent gynecology, and urogynecology. These specialties were included based on their recognition by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology. After identifying the top 10 medical journals, we obtained their Journal Impact Factor as reported by the journal. After identifying the top 100 physician influencers, we obtained their academic h-index scores from Google Scholar and SCOPUS. Google scholar was searched first and if the physician did not have a Google Scholar page, we searched SCOPUS after. Practice location was found as reported by the physician on Twitter or by their board certification. Board certification was confirmed for United States based physicians using certificationmatters.org [5]. Two independent reviewers abstracted the table data (LJD & DVV). All data entries were then checked by the first author (SG), who ensured accuracy and resolved any discrepancies. Descriptive statistics were performed and reported. The coefficient of determination (r2) was calculated between (1) journal impact factor and twitter influence rank and (2) physician h-index and twitter influence rank. The top 10 ob/gyn medical journals are shown in Table 1. The average impact factor of the top 10 ob/gyn medical journals was 5.0, with a median of 5.5. The coefficient of determination (r2) between impact factor and twitter influence rank was 0.0379 (Fig. 1). The top 10 ob/gyn medical organizations are shown in Table 2. Table 1 Top 10 ob/gyn medical journals Rank Medical Journal Twitter Handle Impact Factor 1 Obstetrics and Gynecology (The Green Journal) @greenjrnl 7.661 2 Contemporary Ob/Gyn @contempobgyn 0.038 3 American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) @ajog_thegray 8.661 4 An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG) @bjogtweets 6.531 5 Fertility and Sterility @fertstert 7.329 6 International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (IJGO) @ijgolive 4.447 7 Contraception @contraceptionjl 3.051 8 Menopause Journal @menopausejnrl 3.310 9 Journal of Graduate Medical Education (JGME) @journalofgme 1.23 10 Medical Education @meded_journal 7.647 Fig. 1 Correlation between Twitter influence rank and journal impact factor Table 2 Top 10 ob/gyn organizations Rank Organization Name Twitter Handle 1 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) @acog 2 Society for Maternal–Fetal Medicine (SMFM) @mysmfm 3 American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) @reprodmed 4 Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists @rcobsgyn 5 Association of Professors of Gynecology & Obstetrics (APGO) News @apgonews 6 MD Edge ObGyn @mdedgeobgyn 7 Medscape Ob/Gyn @medscapeobgyn 8 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG) @isuog 9 American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) @aagl 10 Society of Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology (SASGOG) @sasgog Of the top 100 physician influencers, 47% are general ob/gyn physicians, followed by the subspecialties: 11% specialize in maternal–fetal medicine, 9% minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, 6% reproductive endocrinology and infertility, 3% gynecologic oncology, 3% female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, 3% urogynecology, 2% pediatric and adolescent gynecology, 1% family planning and 1% reproductive genetics (Table 3). Of the top 100 physicians, 14% were in non-ob/gyn specialties, including family medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, psychiatry, hematology and oncology, internal medicine, and pulmonology/critical care (Fig. 2). Table 3 Top 100 ob/gyn physician influencers Rank Name Twitter handle Specialty/subspecialty Practice Location (City, State, Country) h-index 1 Camille A. Clare @cclaremdmph ob/gyn Manhattan, New York, United States 11 2 Amanda P. Williams @kpobgyndoc ob/gyn Oakland, California, United States – 3 Kelly Wright @migsrunner Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Los Angeles, California, United States 8 4 Yalda Afshar @yafshar Maternal–fetal medicine Los Angeles, California, United States 18 5 Ruth Ann Crystal @catchthebaby ob/gyn Mountainview, California, United States 2 6 Jane van Dis @janevandis ob/gyn Rochester, New York, United States 6 7 Pietro Bortoletto @bortolettomd Reproductive endocrinology and infertility Boston, Massachusetts, United States 13 8 Diane Horvath @gynandtonic Family planning Baltimore, Maryland, United States 1 9 Meadow Maze Good @meadowgood Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery Orlando, Florida, United States 11 10 Danielle Jones @mamadoctorjones ob/gyn Austin, Texas, United States and Aotearoa New Zealand – 11 Joia Crear Perry @doccrearperry ob/gyn New Orleans, Louisiana, United States 10 12 Lisa Hollier @txmommydoc Maternal–fetal medicine Houston, Texas, United States 25 13 Jennifer Ashton @drjashton ob/gyn Engelwood, New Jersey, United States – 14 Kemi Doll @kemidoll Gynecologic oncology Seattle, Washington, United States 22 15 Amy Lasky @amylaskymd ob/gyn Stony Brook, New York, United States – 16 Amy Park @dramypark Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery Cleveland, Ohio, United States 16 17 Cynthia Gyamfi @drcynthiagyamfi Maternal–fetal medicine San Diego, California, United States 45 18 Mallory Stuparich @malstumd Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Riverside, California, United States 5 19 Leah Torres @leahntorres ob/gyn Salt Lake City, Utah, United States 5 20 Roberta Gebhard @drrgebhard Family medicine Grand Island, New York, United States 3 21 Jackie Parchem @jackie_parchem Maternal–fetal medicine Houston, Texas, United States 10 22 Cara R. King @drcaraking Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Cleveland, Ohio, United States 7 23 Jeanne Conry @conryjeanne ob/gyn Sacramento, California, United States 12 24 Maya Hammoud @maya_michigan ob/gyn Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States 27 25 Danielle Prentice @dkirch888 Maternal–fetal medicine Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States 4 26 Helen Kang Morgan @helenjkmorgan ob/gyn Ann Arbor, Michigan 11 27 Laura Riley @obdocriley Maternal–fetal medicine New York, New York, United States 31 28 Judette Louis @judettelouis Maternal–fetal medicine Tampa, Florida, United States 28 29 Jennifer Ashton @drjashton ob/gyn New York City, New York, United States – 30 Mireille Truong @drmtruong Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Los Angeles, California, United States 8 31 Natasha Bhuyan @natashabhuyan Family medicine Phoenix, Arizona, United States 4 32 Jessica Shepherd @jshepherd_md Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Dallas, Texas, United States – 33 Olga Muldoon @olgatheobgyn Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Denver, Colorado, United States 1 34 Veronica Pimentel @drveropimentel Maternal–fetal medicine Hartford, Connecticut, United States 4 35 Katherine McHugh @ktmch ob/gyn Indianapolis, Indiana, United States 4 36 Tamika Auguste @obyourself ob/gyn Washington D.C., United States 8 37 Kristin Lyerly @kristinlyerly ob/gyn Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States 0 38 Carrie Cwiak @drcarrieobgyn ob/gyn Atlanta, Georgia, United States 16 39 Chase Anderson @chasetmanderson Psychiatry San Francisco, California, United States – 40 Jill Grimes @jillgrimesmd Family medicine Austin, Texas, United States – 41 Elizabeth Howell @lizhowellmd ob/gyn Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 34 42 Fiona Mattatall @fionamattatall ob/gyn Calgary, Alberta, Canada 3 43 Jeff Livingston @macobgyn ob/gyn Irving, Texas, United States 1 44 Jim Thornton @jimgthornton ob/gyn Nottingham, United Kingdom 65 45 Shanna M. Combs @drshannacombs Pediatric and adolescent gynecology Fort Worth, Texas, United States 1 46 Christina Saad @christinasaadmd Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Los Angeles, California, United States 1 47 Shannon McNamara @shannonomac Emergency medicine New York, New York, United States 4 48 Rebecca Szabo @inquisitivegyn ob/gyn Melbourne, Australia 9 49 Ian Fields @eeyanmiller Urogynecology Portland, Oregon, United States 5 50 Komal Bajaj @komalbajajmd reproductive genetics New York, New York, United States 19 51 Charlene Collier @chcollier ob/gyn Jackson, Mississippi, United States 6 52 Genevieve Eastabrook @placentadoc Maternal–fetal medicine London, Ontario, Canada 11 53 Ariela Marshall @amarshallmd Hematology and oncology Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 18 54 Staci Tanouye @drstacit ob/gyn Jacksonville, Florida, United States 3 55 Michelle Owens @drmichelleowens Maternal–fetal medicine Jackson, Mississippi 18 56 Nicholas Fogelson @academicobgyn Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Portland, Oregon, United States 5 57 Erica Marsh @ericamarshmd Reproductive endocrinology and infertility Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States 26 58 Serena H Chen @drserenahchen Reproductive endocrinology and infertility Livingston, New Jersey 14 59 Cheryl Iglesia @cheryliglesia Urogynecology Washington, D.C., United States 26 60 Aimee Eyvazzadeh @_eggwhisperer Reproductive endocrinology and infertility San Francisco, California, United States 11 61 Dani Jackson @drdanijackson Psychiatry New York, New York, United States 3 62 Megan L. Evans @meganevansmd ob/gyn Boston, Massachusetts, United States 5 63 Lesley Regan @lregan7 ob/gyn London, England 66 64 Dr. Brandi Ring @dr_b_ring ob/gyn Aurora, Colorado, United States 0 65 Ghazaleh Moayedi @dr_moayedi ob/gyn Dallas, Texas, United States 3 66 Amanda Selk @dramandaselk ob/gyn Toronto, Ontario, Canada 11 67 Pooja Mehta @poojakmehta ob/gyn Boston, Massachusetts, United States 10 68 Lora Shahine @drlorashahine Reproductive endocrinology and infertility Seattle, Washington, United States 14 69 Gretchen Winter @gretchemaben Pulmonology/ critical care Indianapolis, Indiana, United States – 70 Joannie Yeh @betamomma Pediatrics Broomall, Pennsylvania, United States – 71 Zoë Julian @doczo1 ob/gyn Birmingham, Alabama, United States 4 72 Payam Katebi Kashi @payamkashimd Gynecologic oncology Baltimore, Maryland, United States 2 73 Vandna Jerath @drjerath ob/gyn Denver, Colorado, United States – 74 Rodrigo Muñoz @drigomunoz ob/gyn Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States 1 75 Kelly Doran @kellymdoran Emergency medicine New York, New York, United States 23 76 Sarah Temkin @temkins Gynecologic oncology Washington, DC, United States 26 77 Sarah J. Kilpatrick @sarah_sjk maternal–fetal medicine Los Angeles, California, United States 19 78 Sony S Singh @drsonysinghmd Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 25 79 Chitra Akileswaran @chitra_mdmba ob/gyn Oakland, California, United States 4 80 Eve Feinberg @drevefeinberg Reproductive endocrinology and infertility Chicago, Illinois, United States 15 81 Melissa Simon @drmelissasimon ob/gyn Chicago, Illinois, United States 71 82 Yolanda Kirkham @dryolandak Pediatric and adolescent gynecology Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7 83 Michael Chaikof @michaelchaikof Urogynecology Toronto, Ontario, Canada 3 84 Beri Ridgeway @beridgeway Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery Cleveland, Ohio, United States 26 85 Riordan Ledgerwood @ledgemd Pediatrics Fort Hood, Texas, United States 1 86 Tricia Wright @triciaewrightmd ob/gyn San Francisco, California, United States 11 87 Katherine Chretien @motherinmed Internal medicine Baltimore, Maryland – 88 Kavita Shah Arora @kavitashaharora ob/gyn Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States 15 89 Nathaniel DeNicola @ndenicolamd ob/gyn Washington, DC, United States 8 90 Kristyn Brandi @drkbrandi ob/gyn Montclair, New Jersey, United States 4 91 Christina Salazar @salazarmigs ob/gyn Austin, Texas, United States 4 92 Margaret Russell @margaret1473 Family medicine Chicago, Illinois, United States 0 93 Shawn Tassone @tassonedoc ob/gyn Austin, Texas, United States 2 94 Lisa Kane Low @kanelow Family medicine Rogers, Arkansas, United States 37 95 Amy Alexander @amyalexmd ob/gyn Asheville, North Carolina, United States – 96 Amy Tuteur @atuteur ob/gyn Boston, Massachusetts, United States 1 97 Christine Foley @docfoleygyn ob/gyn Providence, RI, United States 3 98 Margaret Polaneczky @tbtam ob/gyn New York, New York, United States 15 99 Adam Balen @balenadam ob/gyn Leeds, England 77 100 Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz @askdrsuzanne ob/gyn Beverly Hills, California, United States – Fig. 2 Specialties of the Top 100 Twitter Influencers in ob/gyn The majority of physician influencers worked in the U.S. (91%), and specifically, California (15%), followed by New York and Texas (11%) (Fig. 3). The average h-index of the top 100 physician influencers was 13.6, with a median of 8.5. The coefficient of determination (r2) between h-index and twitter influence rank was 0.0092. All U.S. physicians were board certified (Fig. 4). Fig. 3 Locations of the Top 100 Twitter Influencers in Ob/Gyn Fig. 4 Correlation between Twitter influence rank and h-index This study found that of the top ob/gyn medical journals, 80% were ob/gyn or women's health focused, while 20% were education focused. We found a positive correlation between journal Twitter influence rank and journal impact factor. This can be due to higher ranked journals tweeting more frequently about newly accepted articles to increase journal readership. The majority of influencers were general ob/gyn physicians. The top ob/gyn subspecialties included 9 different specialties, and 7 non-ob/gyn specialties. The majority of influencers were from the United States, and specifically California, New York, and Texas. There was an inverse correlation with Twitter influence rank and influencer academic h-index, where people ranked lower in Twitter influence actually had a higher h-index. This may indicate that Twitter influence rank is not a valid predictor of academic productivity as measured by h-index. This may change with time as more physicians continue to turn to Twitter to promote their academic papers, and as newer generations of physicians who grew up with social media rely more heavily on it. Additionally, h-index alone, does not encompass all forms of academic productivity, including teaching positions (e.g., assistant, associate, and professor of medicine), leadership roles (e.g., clerkship directors, research chairs, deans of medical schools), and advocacy. Physicians use social media for a variety of reasons, including advancing medical research, advancing clinical practice, communicating with other physicians, and providing health information for patients [6]. Health misinformation spread on Twitter can lead to delays or prevention of necessary care, or even threaten patient lives [7]. The importance of providing patients with reliable information is highlighted by the influx of abortion-related information following the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Widespread confusion surrounding new anti-abortion laws resulted in the dispersal of misinformation regarding how herbs or toxins could be used to perform abortions at home [8]. Physicians expressed concerns that online misinformation may cause patients seeking an abortion to try unsafe methods[7]. Patients need to be able to identify legitimate leaders in ob/gyn to receive reliable information on safe abortion practices. Twitter has become increasingly popular in the medical community to facilitate connections, communication, and academic promotion. During unprecedented times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the post-Dobbs legal climate, more people turn to Twitter for information. Knowing legitimate influencers in ob/gyn permits Twitter users to follow reliable accounts. With the increasing reliance on Twitter by both physicians and patients, medical professionals should embrace Twitter, abide by ethical guidelines, and only promote reliable information.