Are my symptoms serious Dr Google? A resource-based typology of value co-destruction in online self-diagnosis

Nichola Robertson, Michael Polonsky and Lisa McQuilken

Australasian marketing journal, 2014, vol. 22, issue 3, 246-256

Abstract: Online self-diagnosis, where consumers engage with technology by applying their knowledge and skills to generate a medical diagnosis without the participation of a health care professional, is commonplace. Although co-creation of value for consumers and e-health service providers (i.e., suppliers of technological interfaces for consumers to self-diagnose) can occur via “do-it-yourself” diagnosis, we argue that it also has strong potential for value co-destruction. This is because of deficiencies in or misuse of resources (consumer or e-health provider). Based on a review of the service science, information systems and health care literatures, we develop a typology of value co-destruction in online self-diagnosis. It shows that online self-diagnosis can result in value co-destruction of consumers' service process and outcome when consumer resources are deficient or misused (e.g., knowledge) or when e-health provider resources are lacking (e.g., poor quality offerings). The value co-destruction perspective has not been examined previously in this context and is important because it can negatively affect consumers' well-being. A consumer and service focus is missing from research on online self-diagnosis, which our typology addresses. Implications of our typology for providing online health information and more specialised self-diagnosis services are discussed, drawing on a multi-pronged, multi-stakeholder approach, along with future research opportunities.

Keywords: Online self-diagnosis; E-health service; Value co-destruction; Resources; Consumer experience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:aumajo:v:22:y:2014:i:3:p:246-256

DOI: 10.1016/j.ausmj.2014.08.009

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