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Doctor–patient relationship strength’s impact in an online healthcare community

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Listed:
  • Shanshan Guo
  • Xitong Guo
  • Xiaofei Zhang
  • Doug Vogel

Abstract

Doctor–patient (D–P) interaction currently faces a set of challenges owing to a dearth in medical resources and related communication reasons. Healthcare information technology and associated systems, such as those supporting online healthcare communities (OHCs) that provide new platforms for information exchange and online communication, are expected to alter traditional D–P relationship models. Despite significant results from extant research indicating patient benefits, empirical research on OHC returns for physicians is lacking. This exploratory study examines the strength of the D–P relationship and its impacts on physicians’ individual outcomes in an OHC. Guided by the social capital and social ties theories, and using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to study 339,010 instances of doctor–patient communication from 1430 physicians at The Good Doctor (www.Haodf.com), which is one of the largest Chinese OHCs, we found that weak ties can result in economic and social returns for doctors. However, further analysis has indicated that strong ties mediate the effect of weak ties, thus encouraging doctors to convert weak ties into strong ties by mobilizing their website settings to strengthen their relationships and, subsequently, to be better rewarded. Implications for research and practice on the development of healthcare information technology and associated systems are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Shanshan Guo & Xitong Guo & Xiaofei Zhang & Doug Vogel, 2018. "Doctor–patient relationship strength’s impact in an online healthcare community," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 279-300, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:titdxx:v:24:y:2018:i:2:p:279-300
    DOI: 10.1080/02681102.2017.1283287
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    Cited by:

    1. Xuan Liu & Meimei Chen & Jia Li & Ling Ma, 2019. "How to Manage Diversity and Enhance Team Performance: Evidence from Online Doctor Teams in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Yang, Yefei & Zhang, Xiaofei & Lee, Peter K.C., 2019. "Improving the effectiveness of online healthcare platforms: An empirical study with multi-period patient-doctor consultation data," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 70-80.
    3. Christoph Stach & Clémentine Gritti & Julia Bräcker & Michael Behringer & Bernhard Mitschang, 2022. "Protecting Sensitive Data in the Information Age: State of the Art and Future Prospects," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-43, October.
    4. Chengyu Liu & Yan Li & Mingjie Fang & Feng Liu, 2023. "Using machine learning to explore the determinants of service satisfaction with online healthcare platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(2), pages 449-476, June.
    5. Adnan Muhammad Shah & Wazir Muhammad & Kangyoon Lee & Rizwan Ali Naqvi, 2021. "Examining Different Factors in Web-Based Patients’ Decision-Making Process: Systematic Review on Digital Platforms for Clinical Decision Support System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-23, October.
    6. Xiaoyan Ding & Xiang You & Xin Zhang & Yue Yu, 2022. "Can Patients Co-Create Value in an Online Healthcare Platform? An Examination of Value Co-Creation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, October.
    7. Zhigang Li & Xu Xu, 2020. "Analysis of Network Structure and Doctor Behaviors in E-Health Communities from a Social-Capital Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-14, February.

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