Medical practitioners’ decision making on quality of online medical information: A consumption values theory analysis

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study examined how medical practitioners make decisions on what constitutes quality Online Medical Information (OMI). The study seeks to understand the factors that are considered in arriving at a decision to use medical information provided online given the probable consequences if found to be erroneous. MethodsThe study used choice-based conjoint analysis with Hierarchical Bayes (HB) estimation methods, to examine online medical information quality choices of 242 medical practitioners. The methodology was theoretically guided by the Random Utility Theory (RUT) and Consumption Values Theory (CVT) ResultsIn the order of importance, the findings indicate that during online medical information seeking, the source of the information and its up-to-dateness are the most important quality criteria physicians look out for when assessing OMI. In general, the OMI consumption behaviour of medical practitioners can be explained by social, epistemic and functional values. ConclusionMedical practitioners are avid users of OMI and therefore it is important that the decision-making process to determine the quality of OMI is understood. Understanding the decision-making process would help optimize the determination of the quality of OMI for safe usage. There must be regular OMI training and awareness especially on how to assess quality OMI content.