LAUSR

Background Online doctor–patient consultation is a new option for orthopedic patients in China to obtain a diagnosis and treatment advice. This study explores the factors associated with online consultation to formulate operational guidelines for managing online consultations in an online medical community (OMC). Methods An empirical model was developed to identify the factors that influence online orthopedic doctor–patient consultations in an OMC while focusing on the perceived value of and perceived trust in online consultations. The moderating effects of different risk categories of orthopedic diseases were also considered. Data from 339 feedback surveys from orthopedic patients who used online consultation services and Stata software version 14.0 were used to estimate the model parameters and test the robustness of the empirical model. Results Of those who completed the feedback surveys, 53.42% were female patients, 82.27% were between 18 and 60 years old, and 61.98% sought consultations online more than 2 times per year. Model analysis demonstrated that the regression coefficients of the perceived value of and perceived trust in online consultations are 0.489 ( p  < 0.01) and 0.505 ( p  < 0.01), respectively. The interaction coefficient between disease risk and perceived value is 0.336 ( p  < 0.01), and the interaction coefficient between disease risk and perceived trust is − 0.389 ( p  < 0.01). Conclusions Orthopedic patients’ perceived value of and perceived trust in online consultations in an OMC can significantly influence their intention to seek online disease diagnosis and treatment consultations. The effects of perceived value and perceived trust on patients' intention to consult vary significantly across different disease risk categories. Therefore, enhancing the perceived value and perceived trust of orthopedic patients is an important component of OMC operation and management.