Rumor has it: How do patients respond to patient-generated physician ratings?

Simon Bensnes and Ingrid Huitfeldt

Journal of Health Economics, 2021, vol. 76, issue C

Abstract: This paper studies the impact of patient-generated ratings of primary care physicians in Norway. Norway has a universal health care system, with no available objective quality indicators. In May 2012, an online review platform that allows patients to rate their physician was launched. Relying on a difference-in-differences approach we show that higher-rated physicians see an increase in demand relative to lower-rated physicians. The effect is primarily driven by females and patients with high socioeconomic status. We find no indications that physicians change their practice style or supply of patient capacity in response to the ratings.

Keywords: Health care demand; Information asymmetry; Patient-generated ratings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I1 I11 I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:76:y:2021:i:c:s0167629620310614

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2020.102415

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