Unveiling third party digital value creation: a field experiment in the public healthcare sector

The study examines the differential impact of digital service co-delivery on value creation for carers of vulnerable individuals. Drawing on Public Service Logic, the Health Co-creation Framework, and research on digital healthcare, it explores three value-in-use elements: empowerment, trust and satisfaction. A field experiment compares value-in-use creation among child caregivers using a digital healthcare service with those in standard care. Findings show that digital services foster empowerment, which in turn enhances trust, and leads to greater satisfaction. The study also reveals risks of value destruction among overburdened caregivers, urging public mangers to engage managerial levers.