Influence of mechanism of patient-accessible hospital information system implementation on doctor–patient relationships: A service fairness perspective

The relationship between a doctor and a patient plays an important role in patient satisfaction with health-care services. It has become an important and contentious issue in China's health-care reform. This study uses service fairness as a theoretical lens to investigate the influence an implementation of a patient-accessible hospital information system (HIS) has on doctor–patient relationships and patient satisfaction. We developed a research model that relates patient-accessible HIS implementation with perception of service fairness, doctor–patient relationships, and patient satisfaction. Data were collected from patients in one of the biggest hospitals in East China that has implemented patient-accessible HIS. Results of the study show that patient-accessible HIS promotes patients’ perception of service fairness, improves doctor–patient relationships, and increases patient satisfaction.