The influence of physician information on patients’ choice of physician in mHealth services using China’s Chunyu doctor app: Eye-tracking and questionnaire study

Abstract

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) is becoming more popular as a way of sharing medical information. For the patient, it saves time, reduces the need for travel, reduces the cost of searching for information, and brings medical services “to your fingertips.” However, it also brings information overload and makes the patient’s choice of physician more difficult. Objective: This study aimed to identify the types of physician information that play a key role in patients’ choice of physician and to explore the mechanism by which this information contributes to this choice. Methods: Based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model and online trust theory, we proposed a research model to explain the influence of physician information on patients’ choice of physician. The model was based on cognitive trust and affective trust and considered the moderating role of patient expertise. Study 1 was an eye-tracking experiment (n=42) to identify key factors affecting patients’ choice of physician. Study 2 was a questionnaire study (n=272); Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was used to validate the research model. Results: The results of Study 1 revealed that seven types of physician information played a key role in patients’ choice of physician. The results of Study 2 revealed that (1) physicians’ profile photo information affected patients’ choice of physician by positively influencing affective trust (P