Yeongin Kim Wins Best Theory-Driven Empirical Research Paper Award

Assistant Professor of Business Analytics Yeongin Kim has been selected to receive the award for Best Theory-Driven Empirical Research Paper at the 2024 Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) Annual Conference later this year.

Entitled “Beyond Words: Unveiling the Effect of Physicians’ Use of Audio Communication in Online Healthcare Communities,” the study explores the transformative effect of multimodal digitalization, particularly audio communication, on operational efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare in the context of online healthcare communities (OHCs). The paper is co-authored by Xunyu Chen (Virginia Commonwealth University) and Seokjun Youn (University of Arizona).

According to Kim, the findings highlight both opportunities and challenges in adopting digital communication technologies in healthcare, namely concerning the balance between economics and patient outcomes.

“Using data containing over 180,000 consultation threads from a large Chinese platform, we found that while audio interactions benefit patient outcomes, they may reduce doctors’ economic potentials, presenting a trade-off for the platform,” said Kim.

The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) is a multidisciplinary association that connects and supports working scholars, educators and academics who are dedicated to advancing knowledge, promoting research and improving instruction in the diverse disciplines of decision sciences. This year’s annual conference will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, from November 23-25.