Fig. 2

The network model linking between the cost-control actions of hospitals and resultant consequences. Blue nodes are cost-control actions, and the grey nodes are doctors’ opinions. Node labels’ interpretation: 1. Hospitals accept fewer critically ill patients; 2. Limit average cost in hospitalization; 3. Limit average prescription cost in outpatient service; 4. Limit cost of treating single kind of disease; 5. Limit costs and amounts of examinations/drugs /surgery prescriptions; 6. Limit the conditions for the usage of examinations/drugs/surgery; 7. Limit the cost of examination; 8. Limit the duration of hospitalization; 9. Limit the proportional cost of total medical expenses (e.g., the proportion of drug costs); 10. Regularly rank and limit the use of top-ranked drugs; 11. Reduce the use of brand-name drugs; 12. Shortened duration of prescribed medication; A. Higher frequency of visiting hospitals by patients; B. Hospitals’ cost-control actions affect doctors’ healthcare performance; C. Hospitals’ cost-control actions are irrational; D. Hospitals’ cost-control actions increase staff workloads; E. Hospitals’ cost-control actions seriously limit doctors’ healthcare performance; F. Increase the doctors’ explanation and other workloads to patients; G. Indirect costs of patients for visiting hospitals increase (time, transport fees, etc.); H. Less medical resources for patients; I. Lower patient satisfaction; J. The average cost of healthcare paid by patients increases; K. The total cost of healthcare paid by patients increases; L. Worsen the relationship between doctors and patients; M. The limits on drug prescriptions affect the doctors’ healthcare performance