Evolutionary Game Analysis of Healthcare Information Construction and Sharing Decisions Considering Synergy Benefits

Abstract

The current healthcare system suffers from information fragmentation. Achieving an efficient medical process necessitates coordination among healthcare institutions at different levels to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, with information synergy playing a crucial role in this endeavor. Due to concerns about information security and the costs associated with information construction, healthcare institutions are often reluctant to collaborate on information sharing. To address this issue, we propose an analytical framework for information synergy among different levels of healthcare institutions, which clarifies the impact of synergy benefits on the collaborative behavior of medical system members. We construct an evolutionary game model to study the dynamic strategy choices of the relevant participants. Our analysis reveals that general hospitals, as the main actors in the healthcare system, have a lower willingness to further invest in information construction and sharing. Their willingness is significantly influenced by the volume of information they can utilize from primary healthcare institutions. Moreover, interventions from the government and society can effectively encourage all members of the medical system to adopt collaborative information strategies. Establishing a comprehensive and unified information platform, actively promoting hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, and setting reasonable assessment indicators for the level of information available from healthcare institutions can significantly reduce the costs associated with information construction. These measures will enhance the benefits of information synergy, thereby facilitating the exchange of information within the healthcare system.