Paper Number

ICIS2025-2084

Paper Type

Short

Abstract

Telehealth is transforming healthcare by improving cost-effectiveness and access. While textual feedback has been widely studied, the role of visual elements such as doctors’ profile photos remains underexplored. This study investigates the impact of replacing a default image with a personal photo on follower growth on a telehealth platform. Using machine learning to extract image features and a DiD approach, we find that personal photos significantly increase followers' growth, with effects varying across specialties and doctor titles. Analysis of photo characteristics provides actionable insights for doctors, underscoring the importance of visual cues in strengthening patient–doctor connections in telehealth.

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21-Healthcare

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Dec 14th, 12:00 AM

Does Your Profile Picture Matter? Examining the Impact of Doctors’ Profile Photos on Users' Engagement in Telehealth Platforms

Telehealth is transforming healthcare by improving cost-effectiveness and access. While textual feedback has been widely studied, the role of visual elements such as doctors’ profile photos remains underexplored. This study investigates the impact of replacing a default image with a personal photo on follower growth on a telehealth platform. Using machine learning to extract image features and a DiD approach, we find that personal photos significantly increase followers' growth, with effects varying across specialties and doctor titles. Analysis of photo characteristics provides actionable insights for doctors, underscoring the importance of visual cues in strengthening patient–doctor connections in telehealth.

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