How consumers respond to performance disclosure in the health sector? Evidence from online medical consultations

 

 

 

Time: 14:00-15:30 PM, June 19, 2019 (Wednesday)

 

Location: Room 1610, Rear Main Building

 

Speaker: Hongqiao Fu, School of Public Health, Peking University

 

Moderator: He Haoran, BNUBS

 

 

Abstract：

 

This study investigates consumers’ response to performance disclosure of physicians in Haodf.com, which is one of the leading third-party online healthcare platforms in China. Using a natural experiment that Haodf.com releases the list of “excellent doctors” in January 2019, we examine consumers’ choice of physicians for online medical consultations. We report three main findings. First, compared to physicians who were just below the threshold of “excellent doctors”, physicians who were just above the threshold attracted more online visits. Second, “excellent doctors” provided 5%-7% more online medical consultations after Haodf.com released the list, even though their prices rose moderately. It suggests that patients were more likely to choose physicians with performance certification. Third, young consumers are much more responsive. We conclude that consumers are responsive to performance disclosure in the online health market.

 

About the speaker:

 

Fu Hongqiao is an assistant professor and associate researcher of new systems at Peking University School of Public Health. In July 2018, he graduated from the National School of Development, Peking University, majoring in Theoretical Economics (National Development Direction), with a doctorate degree in Economics. His doctoral thesis won the Excellent Doctoral thesis Award of Peking University. From October 2015 to February 2017, he visited Harvard School of Public Health in the United States. His research interests include Health economics, Health Policy, and Internet Medicine. His research results have been published in Social Science & Medicine, Health Policy and Planning, Economics (Quarterly), And Chinese Population Science. Currently, he is the secretary general of the Theory and Policy Committee of the Chinese Society of Health Economics, the World Bank Consultant of China's Medical reform, and the deputy director of the Academic Committee of Yinchuan Internet Medical Association. He is also an anonymous reviewer of Health Economics, Social Science & Medicine, Health Policy and Planning, Inquiry, and Economics (Quarterly).