Thoracic Surgery Portal Content

The latest survey on CTSNet content in the Thoracic Portal provides important information as to what users find effective and what new content they would like to see.  Clinical practice is most influenced by Experts' Techniques and by clinical videos.  Clinical knowledge is most influenced by current literature.  New features that users would most like to see include difficult case discussions by experts, and critical analysis of selected issues, either through pro-con debates or evidence-based reviews.  There is also some interest in availability of CME credits on CTSNet.  The CTSNet management group will be meeting in the next few months to address these issues and will strive to make the Thoracic Portal increasingly responsive to the users' needs.

1. What CTSNet content makes the biggest impact on your clinical practice (you may select more than one)?
		Response Percent	Response Count
News updates		8.1%	7
Experts’ techniques		40.2%	35
Literature watch		24.1%	21
New technology		2.3%	2
Technical videos		25.3%	22
Case of the month		0.0%	0
	answered question		87
	skipped question		2

2. What CTSNet content has the biggest impact on your knowledge base (you may select more than one)?
		Response Percent	Response Count
News updates		5.7%	5
Experts’ techniques		18.2%	16
Literature watch		52.3%	46
Technical videos		8.0%	7
Case of the month		5.7%	5
New technology		4.6%	4
Weblogs		2.3%	2
Commentaries		3.4%	3
	answered question		88
	skipped question		1

3. What new CTSNet content would you most like to see (you may select more than one)?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Difficult case discussions		57.8%	48
Basic science correlations		6.0%	5
Core curriculum for practicing surgeons		36.1%	30
	answered question		83
	skipped question		6

4. What additional features would you most like to see on CTSNet (you may select more than one)?
		Response Percent	Response Count
CME credits		18.8%	16
Experts' opinions on management of difficult cases		32.9%	28
Pro-con debates on controversial topics		40.0%	34
Evidence-based summaries of current controversies		69.4%	59
	answered question		85
	skipped question		4

5. In what region do you work?
		Response Percent	Response Count
North America		39.5%	34
Europe		30.2%	26
South America		12.8%	11
Asia		11.6%	10
Africa		5.8%	5
	answered question		86
	skipped question		3

6. How often do you visit the thoracic portal?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Daily		8.1%	7
Weekly		51.2%	44
Monthly		31.4%	27
Less than monthly		9.3%	8
	answered question		86
	skipped question		3

7. What are your reasons for not visiting the thoracic portal more often?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Content doesn’t update often enough		44.1%	30
Content not interesting enough		7.4%	5
Portal is too difficult to reach		5.9%	4
Most of my time is spent in other areas of CTSNet		44.1%	30
	answered question		68
	skipped question		21