Identifying categories of patient-driven health services innovation: insights from Taiwan's health services sector

PurposeThis study aims to build a typology of patient-driven health services innovation (PDHSI) and propose their relationships with healthcare quality.Design/methodology/approachGuided by value co-creation theory (VCC), this study adopted in-depth interviews and focus groups to collect qualitative data in Taiwan's health services sector. The collected data were analyzed using manual thematic analysis, following the standard procedures for transcribing, encoding and identifying themes. This approach allowed for a comprehensive identification of unique types of PDHSI.FindingsThis study found four types of PDHSI. They are Human-Computer Interaction Mode (HCIM), Online Social Network Mode (OSNM), Co-created Decision-Making Mode (CDM) and Channel Complementarity Mode (CCM). This study defines these typologies and explains their fundamental properties, key outcomes and important determinants. Finally, through qualitative analysis, four propositions on the relationship between health services innovation and health service quality are put forward.Practical implicationsBy constructing a patient-driven typology of health services innovation, this study helps medical institutions understand the strategic behavior of the doctor-patient relationship, to improve the quality of medical service and contribute to patient education and consulting practice.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the theoretical understanding of PDHSI by identifying and categorizing the types of such innovations. It provides a comprehensive typology that is useful for both academic research and practical application in healthcare management. This typology offers new insights into the roles of patients in co-creating healthcare services, addressing a gap in the existing literature regarding PDHSI and supporting the development of patient-centered approaches to healthcare.