The Impact of Humanitarian Operations on Doctors' Care Provision: Empirical Evidence from a Volunteering Program

Status: Working Paper
Coauthors: [Qiyuan Wang] (Hong Kong Polytech), Charles Weinberg

Abstract

Humanitarian services play a crucial role in responding to disasters, yet their impact on healthcare providers’ regular duties remains underexplored. This study examines the effect of doctors’ participation in humanitarian services on their services to existing patients. Utilizing data from a volunteer program during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, we show that volunteer doctors provided significantly less care to their regular patients compared to non-volunteer doctors. This reduction in care persisted post-volunteering, though the magnitude decreased over time, indicating a gradual recovery. Our analysis reveals both intra- and inter-doctor heterogeneity in recovery speed. While volunteer doctors resumed their care provision (extensive margin) quickly, the volume of care (intensive margin) remained lower than that of non-volunteers. Additionally, doctors with heavier workloads experienced slower recovery. These findings underscore the long-term implications of mobilizing healthcare workers for humanitarian efforts, providing critical insights for managing healthcare workforces during disasters.