Information and Efficiency in Vietnamese Patients' Choice of Health-Care Provider: A Short Report

Abstract

This paper communicates results from a statistical investigation into questions of relationships between sources of health-care information, data sufficiency, and final outcomes of Vietnamese patients' choice of health-care provider. The study employs a data set of 1459 observations collected from a survey in Hanoi in the fourth quarter of 2015. Significant relationships among these factors are identified following categorical data modeling employing the baselinecategory logit (BCL) method. Among the significant results reported, sources ofinformation, cost, and amount of time for seeking information are found to have significant influences on data sufficiency. The quality of information and health professionals’ credibility are critical factors in helping patients choose a healthcare provider In addition, empirical probabilities for different conditions patients face are provided together with insights and policy implications. Final suggestionsemphasize an upgrade of the knowledge base and an increase in public access to information with Internet-based innovations such as smartphone apps and data storage with the participation of healthcare providers and the Ministry of Health's ICT units. The underutilized 115 Emergency Service could also be transformed to function as a call center that helps coordinate and channel requests forinformation across a broad network of health-care professionals for better public use.