The Lausanne Center for Health Economics, Behavior, and Policy (LCHE) regularly organizes seminars about Health Economics. More details on www.lche.ch.
Can patient reviews help mothers find better care for their children? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in Laos.
Health care quality varies widely but is often difficult for patients to observe. We study the informational value of user ratings in health care through a randomized controlled trial among mothers of young children in Vientiane, Lao PDR. We provide a subset of participants access to a new webpage compiling patient feedback on local facilities. Access to ratings led to higher perceived quality of care and increased use of top-rated facilities, especially among older mothers and those with limited prior health care experience. Our results suggest that user ratings can meaningfully inform care-seeking decisions.
Emma Clarke-Deelder is a health economist at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. Her research is focused on designing and testing solutions for improving maternal and child health care services worldwide. Emma holds a PhD in Population Health Science from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge.
The Lausanne Center for Health Economics, Behavior, and Policy (LCHE) at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) promotes research, teaching, and policy advice in the fields of health economics, behavior, and policy.
The interdisciplinary center brings together researchers of the Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), the Faculty of Biology and Medicine (CHUV-FBM), and the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC).
We have relocated! Please refer to this access map (in French) to facilitate your visit to our new premises.
Valérie Hanbali
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