MP48-15 ARE UROLOGISTS UNDERREPRESENTED ON FERTILITY CLINIC WEBSITES? A WEB-BASED ANALYSIS

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP48-15 ARE UROLOGISTS UNDERREPRESENTED ON FERTILITY CLINIC WEBSITES? A WEB-BASED ANALYSIS Bassel Bachir, Lina El Taha, and Fadi Choucair Bassel BachirBassel Bachir More articles by this author , Lina El TahaLina El Taha More articles by this author , and Fadi ChoucairFadi Choucair More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003294.15AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Infertile couples invariably use the internet to seek different fertility clinics and explore their fertility options. Online information about healthcare providers has made self-referral popular among patients. As there is almost an equal distribution of male and female factor infertility, this information is vital for both partners. To this end, the objective of this study was to identify the visibility of male infertility specialists (urologists) on fertility clinic websites, as compared to other team members. METHODS: Information was retrieved from two publicly available online registries. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) in the United States and the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in the United Kingdom. We examined all available websites, looking especially at the online representations of the different team members. RESULTS: A total of 447 clinic websites were analyzed. Out of those websites, only 36 (8%) included the profiles of male infertility specialists (urologists). In contrast, the overwhelming majority of websites, 429 (96%) included the profiles of female infertility specialists (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialists). Male infertility specialists were also grossly underrepresented compared to other clinic staff members including nurses, 249 (55.7%, p<0.0001), embryology lab directors, 208 (46.5%, p<0.0001), administrative staff, 177 (39.6%, p<0.0001) and embryologists ,133 (29.7%, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Urologists specialized in male infertility are profoundly underrepresented on fertility clinic websites, despite the fact that male factor infertility accounts for almost half of all infertility cases. Addressing this shortcoming can help fertility clinics attract more patients through a higher visibility of all care team members involved. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e661 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Bassel Bachir More articles by this author Lina El Taha More articles by this author Fadi Choucair More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...