The value of relationships in healthcare

Adrienne Sabety

Journal of Public Economics, 2023, vol. 225, issue C

Abstract: Many interactions between buyers and sellers occur in the context of relationships. In healthcare markets, the patient-primary care physician (PCP) relationship is one common example. I provide evidence that patient-PCP relationships are valued by patients and are good for patients’ health. In response to an exogenous loss of a longstanding PCP, adverse events increase: patient mortality increases by 4%, emergency department visits increase by 4%, and hospital admissions increase by 3%. Adverse events increase with the length of the exiting PCP-patient relationship, suggesting that relationships contain non-transferable information that positively impacts patients’ health.

JEL-codes: I10 J24 J26 J63 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:225:y:2023:i:c:s0047272723001093

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2023.104927

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