Blockchain technology is based on the idea of a distributed, replicated, and immutable digital ledger that enables parties to conduct business in a trustful and transparent way without the need for a central authority or intermediary. Its most popular application thus far is in payment system applications, e.g., bitcoin. This disruptive technology is expected to contribute significant business value to multiple industry sectors, including supply chain management (SCM), where it can provide greater visibility, accountability and trust in interorganizational business collaboration. In this article, we review some fundamental concepts of Hyperledger Fabric, one of the most mature permissioned blockchain implementations. Further, we use the context of a food supply chain to highlight key design and implementation challenges for blockchain, and provide a strategic assessment of its prospects. Our aim is to dispel misguided notions and myths about blockchain as a silver bullet for all businesses. We believe it is important to penetrate the hype to allow a more realistic understanding of this technology. Blockchain is a high‐cost, high‐overhead storage medium. It is viable only when its higher cost is counterbalanced by the set of benefits that are identified by a careful and thorough analysis of the business. Thus, it will be used mainly for storing important data related to interorganizational transactions among partners where trust is lacking and provenance and visibility are critical. Our paper offers enterprises a systematic way to understand the real costs and risks of blockchain adoption. The insights gained in the SCM context also apply to other areas such as financial services and healthcare that could leverage the full potential of blockchain technology.
Online reviews are playing an increasingly important role in how patients select and evaluate health‐care providers. Physician rating websites not only act as open platforms for patients to share their experiences, but can also offer valuable feedback for physicians to improve the quality of care. In this study, we analyze over one million physician reviews across 17 medical specialties and investigate the relationship between operational efficiency and patient satisfaction. We combine econometrics models with text analytics techniques to quantify the effect using both patients' ratings of physicians and their qualitative review narratives. The results provide strong empirical evidence that operational inefficiency negatively influences patient satisfaction. Specifically, a waiting time longer than 17 min will, on average, reduce the odds of getting a high rating status by 14%. Though many health care ratings examined in this study do not mitigate the negative effects brought on by long waiting time, patient narratives reflecting the importance of technical and interpersonal qualities to patients suggest a more complex set of relationships between waiting time and patient satisfaction. Our study showcases the usefulness of online physician reviews and reveals unique insights for improving the delivery of patient‐centered health care.
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