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Waiting time and doctor shopping in a mixed medical economy

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  • Raymond Y.T. Yeung
  • Gabriel M. Leung
  • Sarah M. McGhee
  • Janice M. Johnston

Abstract

Waiting time generally acts as a rationing mechanism in the public health care system. In theory, patients who have a higher valuation of time are more likely to seek alternative care (i.e. doctor shopping) if there is a parallel private sector than those who have weaker time preference. However, the existing settings of many health care systems do not allow patients to reveal their preference of such. The data presented in this study suggest a positive association between patients' expressed value of time and doctor shopping behaviour in Hong Kong. Patients who were assigned longer waiting times relative to their expected horizon were more likely to seek private alternative care. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Raymond Y.T. Yeung & Gabriel M. Leung & Sarah M. McGhee & Janice M. Johnston, 2004. "Waiting time and doctor shopping in a mixed medical economy," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(11), pages 1137-1144, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:13:y:2004:i:11:p:1137-1144
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.871
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    Cited by:

    1. Gow-Lieng Tseng & Cheng-Yu Chen, 2015. "Doctor-Shopping Behavior among Patients with Eye Floaters," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-10, July.
    2. Wong, Irene Oi Ling & Chan, Wai-Sum & Choi, Sarah & Lo, Su-Vui & Leung, Gabriel Matthew, 2006. "Moral hazard or realised access to care?: Empirical observations in Hong Kong," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 251-261, February.
    3. Cisse, Boubou & Luchini, Stephane & Moatti, Jean Paul, 2007. "Progressivity and horizontal equity in health care finance and delivery: What about Africa?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(1), pages 51-68, January.
    4. Wong, Irene O.L. & Lindner, Michael J. & Cowling, Benjamin J. & Lau, Eric H.Y. & Lo, Su-Vui & Leung, Gabriel M., 2010. "Measuring moral hazard and adverse selection by propensity scoring in the mixed health care economy of Hong Kong," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 24-35, April.
    5. Peter Hulshof & Richard Boucherie & Erwin Hans & Johann Hurink, 2013. "Tactical resource allocation and elective patient admission planning in care processes," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 152-166, June.
    6. Guang-Zhen Sun & Yew-Kwang Ng, 2009. "The age-dependent value of time: a life cycle analysis," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 97(3), pages 233-250, July.
    7. Wang, Ming-Jye & Lin, Shu-Ping, 2010. "Study on doctor shopping behavior: Insight from patients with upper respiratory tract infection in Taiwan," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 61-67, January.
    8. E. Demeulemeester & W. Sermeus & J. Beliën & B. Cardoen, 2007. "Clinical pathways and operations management. It takes two to tango," Review of Business and Economic Literature, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Review of Business and Economic Literature, vol. 0(3), pages 451-470.
    9. Meliyanni Johar & Glenn Jones & Michael Keane & Elizabeth Savage & Olena Stavrunova, 2011. "Waiting times for elective surgery and the decision to buy private health insurance," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(S1), pages 68-86, September.

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