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Information Disclosure via Platform Endorsement in Online Health Care.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Information Disclosure via Platform Endorsement in Online Health Care.
Authors: Zhan, Jiajia (AUTHOR), Zhang, Xu (AUTHOR) xzhang@london.edu, Fu, Hongqiao (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Marketing Research (JMR). Aug2026, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p686-705. 20p.
Subject Terms: *Digital platforms, *Decision making, *Physicians, Digital health, Medical consultation, Patients, Prosocial behavior
Geographic Terms: China
Abstract: Platform endorsement is becoming increasingly popular and plays a critical role in online health care platforms by aiding patient choices and shaping doctors' decisions. Using a unique dataset from a major Chinese online doctor consultation platform, this study applies a generalized synthetic control method to examine the impact of endorsement on patient demand, doctor service pricing, quantity, and quality. The findings show that endorsement significantly increases the price and quantity of paid services, while reducing free services among endorsed doctors. Despite handling higher service volumes, endorsed doctors maintain or improve quality. The endorsement program generates greater revenue for endorsed doctors and the platform, but it raises concerns about equity in health care access due to reduced free service provision for underprivileged patients. The analysis further reveals that the impact of endorsement varies between initial endorsement and reendorsement as well as between high-prosocial and low-prosocial doctors. These findings underscore the nuanced role of information disclosure in shaping doctor behavior and patient access, offering important implications for platform design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Marketing Research (JMR) is the property of American Marketing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  – Url: http://www.jstor.org/openurl?issn=00222437&date=2026&volume=63&issue=4&spage=686
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Information Disclosure via Platform Endorsement in Online Health Care.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhan%2C+Jiajia%22">Zhan, Jiajia</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Xu%22">Zhang, Xu</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<i> xzhang@london.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fu%2C+Hongqiao%22">Fu, Hongqiao</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Marketing+Research+%28JMR%29%22">Journal of Marketing Research (JMR)</searchLink>. Aug2026, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p686-705. 20p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+platforms%22">Digital platforms</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Decision+making%22">Decision making</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physicians%22">Physicians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+health%22">Digital health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+consultation%22">Medical consultation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patients%22">Patients</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+behavior%22">Prosocial behavior</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Platform endorsement is becoming increasingly popular and plays a critical role in online health care platforms by aiding patient choices and shaping doctors' decisions. Using a unique dataset from a major Chinese online doctor consultation platform, this study applies a generalized synthetic control method to examine the impact of endorsement on patient demand, doctor service pricing, quantity, and quality. The findings show that endorsement significantly increases the price and quantity of paid services, while reducing free services among endorsed doctors. Despite handling higher service volumes, endorsed doctors maintain or improve quality. The endorsement program generates greater revenue for endorsed doctors and the platform, but it raises concerns about equity in health care access due to reduced free service provision for underprivileged patients. The analysis further reveals that the impact of endorsement varies between initial endorsement and reendorsement as well as between high-prosocial and low-prosocial doctors. These findings underscore the nuanced role of information disclosure in shaping doctor behavior and patient access, offering important implications for platform design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Marketing Research (JMR) is the property of American Marketing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/00222437251408776
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 686
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Digital platforms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Decision making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physicians
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Digital health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical consultation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patients
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Prosocial behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Information Disclosure via Platform Endorsement in Online Health Care.
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            NameFull: Zhan, Jiajia
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          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Xu
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            NameFull: Fu, Hongqiao
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            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Text: Aug2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 63
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Marketing Research (JMR)
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