Expansion Research · Vol. 1 · Q1 2026 · Complete Data

The definitive benchmark of
digital maturity
in plastic surgery
in Broward County

Complete Study — All 6 dimensions audited. D1–D4 passive presence + D5 Instagram DM + D6 after-hours phone. 50 practices, real mystery shopping, Q1 2026.

50 practices. 6 dimensions. 120 points. Complete real data on digital presence, technology, content, reputation, DM response and phone responsiveness — the full market map.

IMD-120 · Expansion Research · Q1 2026 · Complete

Digital Maturity Index
in Plastic Surgery —
Broward County, FL

61.1
Average market score
/ 120 points
✓ Real data
2%
Practices at
"Digital Leader" level
✓ Real data
35pp
Gap: presence
vs. actual response
✓ Real data
68%
Never returned
a call within 48hr
✓ Real data
🏥50 practices evaluated
📊6 dimensions · 27 subcriteria
🔍Active mystery shopping D5 + D6
📍Broward County, Florida
Complete data — Q1 2026
Verified methodology — Complete study
50 board-certified practices
ABPS-certified. Active website. Physical location verified in Broward County. Med spas and dermatologists excluded.
D5: Instagram DM protocol
Standardized message sent Tuesdays 10 AM–2 PM EST. 5 measurement milestones up to 7 days. 5 procedures rotated equally (n=10 each). Inter-rater reliability 0.91 (Cohen's kappa).
D6: After-hours call protocol
Calls placed Monday 6–8 PM EST. No audio recording per Florida Statute §934.03. System type, callback and procedure mention tracked within 48-hour window.
Sources: Google Maps, ASPS, RealSelf
Multi-source recruitment. Geographic distribution: Ft. Lauderdale (28%), Hollywood (16%), Weston (14%), Coral Springs (10%), Pembroke Pines (8%) and more.

Investing in digital presence
without real conversion

Presence vs. Response Gap — Broward Q1 2026
D1–D4: Passive Presence62.6%
D5–D6: Active Response27.5%
⚠️ 35 percentage point gap between what is seen and what is responded to

"A state-of-the-art operating room — fully equipped with the latest technology — but with no staff available to operate."

— IMD-120 Study Discussion, Bello P. et al., Expansion Research 2026
D5: DM Response (21% maturity)21.1%
D6: After-hours phone (34% maturity)33.8%
  • 68% never returned a call within 48 hours

    The most critical finding from real mystery shopping: no manual follow-up process, no automation, no callback. A patient who calls after hours simply doesn't exist for most practices.

  • The phone: the biggest blind spot

    50% of practices had no active phone system outside business hours. The patient calls — and no one answers or captures the lead. Only 2% had 24/7 phone AI.

  • Unanswered messages = lost patients

    24% of Instagram DMs received no reply in 72 hours. Only 12% followed up within 7 days. 88% of practices have zero lead nurturing.

  • Automation: near-zero adoption

    Only 2% have phone AI. 8% have basic DM autoresponders. The market is in pre-adoption phase — a clear first-mover opportunity.

  • 52% ignores Spanish-speaking patients

    Broward County is 31% Hispanic. Yet over half of practices have no Spanish content, no bilingual staff, and no bilingual phone support.

The 6 dimensions of the IMD-120

A standardized instrument measuring both passive digital presence and real operational response capacity — with active mystery shopping across all 50 practices. All 6 dimensions reflect complete, real data.

D1 · Passive
✓ Real data
Digital Presence
15.5 / 20
Website, SSL, Google Business Profile, basic SEO, social media and Spanish content. 52% with no Spanish in a 31% Hispanic market. 62% average maturity.
D2 · Passive
✓ Real data
Tech Infrastructure
8.0 / 20
Online booking, chatbot, CRM, payments and automation signals. Only 18% offer online booking. Live chat below 10%. Gap vs. Top 10: +45% — largest of any passive dimension. 40% maturity.
D3 · Passive
✓ Real data
Content & Engagement
12.5 / 20
Content frequency and quality, Instagram engagement rate, video and format diversity. Only 30% publish regular video. 50% average maturity.
D4 · Passive
✓ Real data
Online Reputation
14.2 / 20
Google Rating (avg 4.6 stars), RealSelf, Healthgrades, Yelp and negative review management. The market's main passive strength. 71% maturity.
D5 · Active
🔍 Mystery shopping
Digital Response (DM)
4.2 / 20
Instagram DM sent Tuesdays 10AM–2PM. 22% responded in under 5 minutes. 24% never responded in 72 hours. Only 12% followed up at 7 days. 43% maturity.
D6 · Active
📞 Mystery shopping
Phone Response
6.8 / 20
After-hours call Monday 6–8PM. 50% had no system. 30% generic voicemail. Only 2% with phone AI. 68% never returned the call in 48hrs. 23% maturity.

What the market
doesn't know about itself

Measured data, not estimates. Real market behavior in Broward County, Q1 2026. Complete audit across all 6 dimensions.

2%
Practices at Digital Leader level (≥96 pts)
1 practice (Top Aesthetics, 99/120)
✓ All dimensions real
62%
Classified as "Basic" (48–71 pts)
Presence without operational automation
✓ All dimensions real
68%
Never returned a call within 48 hours
No manual or automated callback process
✓ D6 real data
35pp
Gap between presence and response capacity
The largest gap identified in the study
✓ All dimensions real

D6: After-hours phone system — Real data

  • 50% with no system — phone rings indefinitely or disconnects
  • 30% with generic voicemail — no practice name or alternatives
  • 18% with IVR + basic professional voicemail
  • Only 2% (1 practice of 50) with 24/7 phone AI
  • 68% never returned the call within 48 hours
  • Only 8% mentioned the specific procedure when calling back

D5: Digital response via Instagram DM — Real data

  • 22% responded in under 5 minutes (Tier A — optimal)
  • 24% never responded in 72 hours — lead completely lost
  • Only 2% showed AI + human integration
  • 8% with basic autoresponder; 90% manual response only
  • 30% offered an appointment in the first response
  • Only 12% sent a follow-up at 7 days — 88% zero nurturing

Know your position
in the market

Data that lets you decide with real information, not intuition. The complete study includes all 6 dimensions — passive and active — with final real data.

Individual diagnosis
Individual IMD Scorecard
For your practice
Your complete 27-subcriteria breakdown vs. the Broward market average, Top 10, and the 4 highest-ranked practices — with a side-by-side score comparison across every dimension, including your real D5 and D6 results.
$1,000
· personalized evaluation
Only available for the 50 practices evaluated · Limited slots remaining
What's included?
  • Total IMD-120 score + all 6 dimensions breakdown vs. average and Top 10
  • Ranking across all 27 subcriteria (#X of 50 practices)
  • Comparative radar chart + city benchmarks (Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Weston)
  • 3 main strengths identified with evidence
  • 5 priority improvement areas with personalized action plan
  • Free 30-minute consultation to review results with the team
  • 4-page personalized report in professional format
Request My Scorecard — $1,000 →

Only available for practices evaluated in this study · Limited spots

Your practice vs. the market,
dimension by dimension

Scorecard IMD-120
Illustrative example
57
/ 120 · #28 of 50
D1 Presence
16/20
D2 Tech
11/20
D3 Content
7/20
D4 Reputation
17/20
D5 Digital Resp.
4/20
D6 Phone Resp.
2/20
#28/50
Global ranking
57
vs. 61.1 average
81
Top 10 average

The Individual Scorecard converts complete market data into a specific analysis for your practice — with exact ranking across each of the 27 subcriteria including your real D5 and D6 scores.

  • 01

    Your real score vs. the market

    Visual comparison across all 6 dimensions against the average of 50 practices and Broward's Top 10.

  • 02

    Ranking across 27 subcriteria

    Knowing your average is 61 is not enough. The Scorecard tells you where you rank #3 and where you rank #45 — including DM and phone response.

  • 03

    Prioritized action plan

    5 improvement areas with the impact × effort framework so you act where it matters most first.

  • 04

    30-minute 1:1 consultation

    Review results with the Expansion team to convert data into concrete operational decisions.

Request My Scorecard — $1,000 →

From data to action

The study identifies 8 concrete interventions organized by impact and complexity. Some require $0 and can be executed this week.

⚡ Week 1–2 · No cost

DM Autoresponder

90% of practices respond manually. An instant autoresponder retains 20–30% of leads that would otherwise be lost. Implementation: 15 minutes.

★★★
⚡ Week 1–2 · $0

Professional Voicemail

30% have a generic voicemail. Include practice name, hours and web/SMS alternative. Cost: $0. Immediate impact on D6 score.

★★★
⚡ Week 1–2 · Low

Spanish Content

52% without Spanish in a county that is 31% Hispanic. Translate services page and contact form. Direct capture of an ignored segment.

★★★
📅 Month 1–2 · Medium

24/7 Website Chat

Chatbot average 1.02/4 — 28% with none. A basic chat captures leads outside business hours without requiring constant staff availability.

★★
📅 Month 1–2 · Medium

Callback Process

68% never returned the call. A simple process: review missed calls at 8 AM, return before 10 AM — eliminates the market's biggest lead leak.

★★
🏗 Month 2–6 · High impact

Centralized CRM + Phone AI

The 42pp gap indicates channels in silos. Centralizing with 24/7 phone AI in EN/ES closes the market's greatest vulnerability. Only 2% have done it.

The market has data.
Do you have yours?

The complete study gives you the full market picture — all 6 dimensions, real data. The Individual Scorecard tells you exactly where your practice stands.

Secure payment via Stripe · Immediate access · No subscription