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Birds of a Feather Flock Together: A Study of Doctor-Patient Matching

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  • Godager, Geir

    (Institute of Health Management and Health Economics)

Abstract

In this paper we study individuals' choice of general practitioners (GPs) utilizing revealed preferences data from the introduction of a regular general practitioner scheme in Norway. Having information on relevant travel distances, we compute decision makers' travel costs associated with different modes of travel. Choice probabilities are estimated by means of nested logit regression on a representative sample of Oslo inhabitants. The results support the general hypothesis that patients prefer doctors who resemble themselves on observable characteristics: Individuals prefer GPs having the same gender and similar age. Specialist status of GPs was found to have a smaller effect on choice probabilities than other attributes such as matching gender. When travel costs are calculated by means of taxi prices, the estimated willingness to pay for specialist status of a GP amounts to € 0.89 per consultation, whereas the estimated willingness to pay for having a GP with the same gender amounts to respectively € 1.71 and € 3.55 for female and male decision makers, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Godager, Geir, 2009. "Birds of a Feather Flock Together: A Study of Doctor-Patient Matching," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2009:3, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:oslohe:2009_003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Luther, Louisa & Benkenstein, Martin & Rummelhagen, Katja, 2016. "Enhancing patients' hospital satisfaction by taking advantage of interpersonal similarity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 50-58.
    2. Rita Ginja & Julie Riise & Barton Willage & Alexander L.P. Willén, 2022. "Does Your Doctor Matter? Doctor Quality and Patient Outcomes," CESifo Working Paper Series 9788, CESifo.
    3. Rita Santos & Hugh Gravelle & Carol Propper, 2013. "Does quality affect patients’ choice of doctor? Evidence from the UK," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 13/306, The Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol, UK.
    4. Ida Iren Eriksen & Hans Olav Melberg & Berit Bringedal, 2013. "Norwegian Physicians’ Knowledge of the Prices of Pharmaceuticals: A Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-1, September.
    5. Méndez, Susan J. & Scott, Anthony & Zhang, Yuting, 2021. "Gender differences in physician decisions to adopt new prescription drugs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    6. Li, JingJing & Godager, Geir & Wang, Jian, 2016. "Does physician gender influence the provision of medical care? An experimental study," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2016:6, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    7. Stefanie Schurer & Daniel Kuehnle & Anthony Scott & Terence C. Cheng, 2016. "A Man's Blessing or a Woman's Curse? The Family Earnings Gap of Doctors," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 385-414, July.
    8. Godager , Geir & Scott, Anthony, 2023. "Physician Behavior and Health Outcomes," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2023:3, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    9. Dahlgren, Cecilia & Dackehag, Margareta & Wändell, Per & Rehnberg, Clas, 2021. "Simply the best? The impact of quality on choice of primary healthcare provider in Sweden," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(11), pages 1448-1454.
    10. Ida Lykke Kristiansen & Sophie Yanying Sheng, 2022. "Doctor Who? The Effect of Physician-Patient Match on The SES-Health Gradient," CEBI working paper series 22-05, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    11. Rita Santos & Hugh Gravelle & Carol Propper, 2013. "Does quality affect patients’ choice of doctor? Evidence from the UK," Working Papers 088cherp, Centre for Health Economics, University of York.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    GP services; Discrete choice; Willingness-to-pay; Health care demand;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities
    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets

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