Novel use of structural equation modeling to examine the development of a framework of patient-centered two-way referral systems for building digital subjective well-being healthcare: A cross-sectional survey in Central China

• Published in: Digital health 2024-01, Vol.10, p.20552076241253079-20552076241253079
• Main Authors: Wen, Xintong, Song, Qingyuan, OuYang, Shuang, Yao, Zhiwei, Luo, Ying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original
• ISSN: 2055-2076; 2055-2076
• DOI: 10.1177/20552076241253079

Digital health technologies are progressively assuming significant roles in aspects encompassing in-hospital management, patient-centered design, and tiered referral systems. Nevertheless, current studies do not involve exploration into the potential value and mechanisms of digital health in a patient-centered context. This study aimed to explore the development of a framework of comprehensive, evidence-based digital health technologies for the construction of welfare-oriented healthcare. From March to June 2023, a cross-sectional online study was performed, involving 335 respondents with prior referral experiences hailing from the Central China region. Data on welfare-oriented healthcare factors (clinical pathway management, medical structure configuration, healthcare service accessibility, two-way referrals) underwent factor analysis in advance, and correlation between these factors and their association with two-way referrals was evaluated by testing for direct and indirect (mediating) effects. Firstly, there existed a significant positive correlation between integrative medical indicators and welfare-centered healthcare (  = 0.02-0.16,