A Conceptual Model to Evaluate Service Quality of Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine Consultation from Patient Perspective.

This research aims to develop a theoretical service quality (SQ) model for direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine consultations. Although it can change care delivery for the better, it is crucial to create the appropriate measurement tool to collect and analyze patient's perceptions of SQ to identify any service pitfall and encourage a faster adoption. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this article is one of the first to investigate and propose a SQ model for DTC telemedicine consultations.

Strategic alliances: an analysis of Catalan hospitals.

Objective: To analyze the strategic alliances that Catalan hospitals form with other health care entities and other types of institutions to foster technological and organizational innovation.

Methods: Qualitative case studies were conducted at a sample of 16 public hospitals in Catalonia, Spain. The sample was limited to three (Level 1-3) of Catalonia's four levels of hospitals (classified according to the complexity of the diagnoses and treatments they provide), but Level 4 hospitals were considered as part of the network in the analysis of the alliances.