Physicians Treating Physicians: Relational and Informational Advantages in Treatment and Survival

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Chen, Stacey H.; Chen, Jennjou; Chuang, Hongwei; Lin, Tzu-Hsin
• 署名单位: University of Tokyo; National Chengchi University; National Taiwan University; National Taiwan University Hospital
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0734-306X
• DOI: 10.1086/725596
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 15-46
• 关键词: matching estimators; social connections; health outcomes; incentives; patient; BIAS

摘要

We use the medical specialties of physician-patients with advanced cancer to study the role of knowledge versus networks in treatment choices and patient survival by matching comparable patients with doctors and admission periods to control unobserved doctor quality. Physician-patients are less likely to have surgery, radiation, or checkups and more likely to receive targeted therapy, spend more on drugs, enjoy a higher survival rate, and spend less on coinsurance than nonphysician-patients. Knowledge mechanisms play a crucial role because the network effect explains some, but not all, patterns. For less informed physician-patients, possessing a network is equivalent to reducing medical knowledge.