Can telemedicine improve the offline healthcare accessibility? Evidence from empirical research in China

Telemedicine is considered an effective way to improve the accessibility of healthcare services. In recent years, with the development and popularization of telemedicine, there is a growing trend of integration between online and offline channels in the healthcare system. However, it is currently unclear whether telemedicine can enhance the offline healthcare accessibility. To explore this research question, this study utilizes macro-level data obtained from the "China Statistical Yearbook" to construct a spatial Durbin model. This model not only considers the impact of telemedicine on offline channels but also validates whether the development of telemedicine can affect the accessibility of offline healthcare across regions. Our research findings indicate that the development of telemedicine can significantly improve the offline healthcare accessibility. However, the development of telemedicine in one region will lead to a "siphon effect" that hinders the improvement of offline healthcare accessibility in neighboring regions.