key: cord-1000277-gutuhbge authors: Al-Benna, Sammy; Gohritz, Andreas title: Availability of COVID-19 information from national plastic surgery society websites date: 2020-05-04 journal: Ann Plast Surg DOI: 10.1097/sap.0000000000002447 sha: e44afb75968c128004790e2c1ef01417b948047d doc_id: 1000277 cord_uid: gutuhbge BACKGROUND: National plastic surgery society websites are an important source of information for patients, family members and healthcare professionals. There are currently no standardized recommendations for the information provided on websites. The aim of this study was to assess the information available on each national plastic surgery society websites on the current pandemic of COVID-19. METHODS: A Google search was performed of United Nations member sovereign states to determine whether they had a national plastic surgery society website and to assess its contents. The presence of COVID-19 information was recorded. Access to contact information, Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram handles were noted. RESULTS: 35% of sovereign states had plastic surgery society websites. 22% of national society websites had a specific COVID-19 section. 14/15 (93%) of these websites had COVID-19-specific guidelines available for health care professionals. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 information provided by national plastic surgery society websites is sparse. Two-thirds of national plastic surgery societies do not have a web presence. The availability of COVID-19 clinical guidelines and patient information sheets on national plastic surgery society websites is limited. This study suggests that improvement and increase in COVID-19 information provided by many national plastic surgery society websites is needed. The current COVID-19 pandemic situation is unprecedented and challenging. 1 It presents a rapidly evolving set of circumstances, all of which places a strain on our healthcare systems and providers, as well as forcing difficult choices about whether plastic surgical care can and should be delayed or reprioritized. 2 Given the varying natures of international healthcare systems, conditions differ significantly by locality. 3, 4 Critical decisions concerning the deployment of resources and the management of elective plastic surgical procedures should be made based on institutional policies and recommendations from local, state and federal authorities, considering the availability of finite and essential resources. 5, 6 National plastic surgery societies are seen as reliable sources of information. 7 Their websites should be easily accessible and provide clinical information and guidelines needs to meet local and national standards. 7, 8 To help plastic stay informed during this rapidly evolving situation, national plastic surgery societies may gather COVID-19 resources to provide materials that are more specific to plastic surgeons, including information for practice management, patient safety, policy changes around coding and regulation, and ongoing advocacy efforts. 7, 8 No studies have assessed the information available on national plastic surgery societies websites. 9 The aim of this study is to evaluate each national plastic surgery society website for availability of COVID-19 information. Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. This is the first study to evaluate the website information provided by national plastic surgery societies. The presence of COVID-19 information on national plastic surgery websites is Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 -11 Borodina M; WHO Novel Coronavirus-19 Mass Gatherings Expert Group.Mass gathering events and reducing further global spread of COVID-19: a political and public health dilemma Health security capacities in the context of COVID-19 outbreak: an analysis of International Health Regulations annual report data from 182 countries Adequate specialised burn care services are essential at major trauma centres The role of the journal impact factor: choosing the optimal source of peer-reviewed plastic surgery information Construction and use of wound care guidelines: an overview Burns associations and societies websites-Do they provide enough information for patients and doctors? Google Medical Update: Why Is the Search Engine Decreasing Visibility of Health and Medical Information Websites? The paradigm of burn expertise: Scientia est lux lucis Burn care experts and burn expertise A discourse on the contributions of evidence-based medicine to wound care Wound care link nurses program