Novel single-valued neutrosophic decision-making approaches based on prospect theory and their applications in physician selection

The selection of a proper physician in a network environment is an important event for most patients, and single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs) can depict the uncertainty and fuzziness of online evaluation information for physicians. In addition, the psychological behavior of patients is a significant factor that influences physician selection. This paper proposes two multi-attribute decision-making methods based on prospect theory (PT) with single-valued neutrosophic information and utilizes them to solve physician selection problems. Firstly, a new distance measure for SVNSs is developed to overcome the drawbacks of existing distance measures. Secondly, we develop extended TODIM and extended ELECTRE III approaches based on PT and new distance. We utilize the two proposed approaches to handle a physician selection case that uses data from Vitals.com. Parameter sensitivity and comparative analyses of the proposed methods are presented. Findings indicate that the two proposed methods can yield reasonable and credible solutions. With complementary advantages, the two methods are flexible for patients with various behavior preferences to select and use.