Enhancing patient wellbeing through telemedicine services: The impact of cognitive and affective service quality ratings and physicians’ long-term orientation

Abstract

This research employs a multi-study approach to examine how patient wellbeing is enhanced through cognitive and affective aspects of telemedicine services. In Study 1, based on a sample of 67 physicians and 370 patients, both cognitive and affective telemedicine ratings are shown to positively impact patients’ perceived wellbeing enhancement, with cognitive ratings exerting a stronger effect than affective ratings. Additionally, the effect of affective ratings diminishes as cognitive ratings increase or when physicians exhibit a stronger long-term orientation. Study 2 replicates main findings of Study 1 and further extends the analysis by incorporating a new measure of wellbeing enhancement that captures changes in patients’ physical, social, mental wellbeing. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications for enhancing telemedicine service quality are discussed.