The mediatization of the patient-physician relationship: Results from...

The Internet, being the communication medium with the fastest adoption rate ever observed, tends to become also a very fruitful source of health information for patients in many Western societies. Patients inform themselves on health symptoms and treatments through the Internet and use rating websites to inform themselves about physicians, similar to the usage of rating sites in other areas of life. Reading about physician ratings delivered by other patients helps them to select a specific physician on the one hand, and on the other hand, patients use physician rating websites (PRWs) to engage in electronic word-of-mouth (eWoM). Of even greater interest is the fact that PRWs offer a large amount of information on those areas or dimensions, which are essential for patient satisfaction. PRWs as well as physicians’ websites are therefore an important communication tool, not only targeted at existing patients, but also targeted at generating leads from the website visitors’ group. Knowledge about patients’ usage of PRW and physicians’ websites especially in Austria, however, is scarce. Thus, the author reports on an empirical study with 442 respondents that investigates the knowledge and usage of PRWs as well as the knowledge and usage of one’s own general practitioner’s (GP) website. Differences between users and nonusers with regard to sociodemographic variables and health status are investigated. An online survey was conducted in December 2016. The results emphasize the importance of GPs’ websites and PRWs at present and in the future. The findings have implications for theory and practice, not only in health marketing, but also from a mediatization perspective of the patient-physician relationship.