With digital transformation, physician review websites have also revolutionised the healthcare industry, which has significantly impacted patient consultation behaviour by improving the service delivery process. Also, physician review websites offer substantial information on physician profiles, including operational attributes such as pre-process wait time and appointment slot duration, to reduce uncertainty regarding service. However, there is a paucity of research on pre-process wait time and appointment slot duration and its influence on patient preference for a physician in physician review websites. To bridge the gap, this study explores the influence of pre-process wait time and appointment slot duration on patient preference using the real-time physician review website dataset. The findings of this study reveal that pre-process wait time exhibits a U-shaped relationship with patient preference. Appointment slot duration has a positive influence on patient preference. This study highlights the moderation effect of appointment slot duration between pre-process wait time and patient preference. Our study advances online healthcare literature with theoretical and practical implications on wait time and appointment slot duration for healthcare service providers and managers. With digital transformation, physician review websites have also revolutionised the healthcare industry, which has significantly impacted patient consultation behaviour by improving the service delivery process. Also, physician review websites offer substantial information on physician profiles, including operational attributes such as pre-process wait time and appointment slot duration, to reduce uncertainty regarding service. However, there is a paucity of research on pre-process wait time and appointment slot duration and its influence on patient preference for a physician in physician review websites. To bridge the gap, this study explores the influence of pre-process wait time and appointment slot duration on patient preference using the real-time physician review website dataset. The findings of this study reveal that pre-process wait time exhibits a U-shaped relationship with patient preference. Appointment slot duration has a positive influence on patient preference. This study highlights the moderation effect of appointment slot duration between pre-process wait time and patient preference. Our study advances online healthcare literature with theoretical and practical implications on wait time and appointment slot duration for healthcare service providers and managers.
The Impact of Operational Attributes on Patient Preferences: An Analysis of Physician Review Websites
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