In recent years, the rapid advancement of digital technology has supported the growth of the digital economy. The transformation towards digitization in the public health sector serves as a key indicator of this economic shift. Understanding how the digital economy continuously improves the efficiency of public health services and its various pathways of influence has become increasingly important. It is essential to clarify the impact mechanism of the digital economy on public health services to optimize health expenditures and advance digital economic construction. This study investigates the impact of digital economic development on the efficiency of public health services from a novel perspective, considering social media usage and urban–rural healthcare disparities while constructing a comprehensive index of digital economic development. The findings indicate that the digital economy reduces the efficiency of public health services primarily through two transmission mechanisms: the promotion of social media usage and the widening urban–rural healthcare gap. Moreover, these impacts and transmission pathways exhibit spatial heterogeneity. This study unveils the intrinsic connection and mechanisms of interaction between digital economic development and the efficiency of public health services, providing a theoretical basis and reference for government policy formulation. However, it also prompts further considerations on achieving synergy and interaction between the digital economy and public health services.

近年来，数字技术的快速发展支撑了数字经济的增长。公共卫生领域的数字化转型是这一经济转变的关键指标。了解数字经济如何不断提高公共卫生服务的效率及其各种影响途径变得越来越重要。明确数字经济对公共卫生服务的影响机制，优化卫生支出，推进数字经济建设。本研究从新的角度探讨了数字经济发展对公共卫生服务效率的影响，考虑社交媒体使用和城乡医疗保健差异，同时构建数字经济发展综合指数。研究结果表明，数字经济降低公共卫生服务效率主要通过两个传导机制：社交媒体使用的推广和城乡医疗差距的扩大。此外，这些影响和传播途径表现出空间异质性。本研究揭示了数字经济发展与公共卫生服务效率之间的内在联系和互动机制，为政府政策制定提供理论依据和参考。但这也促使人们进一步思考如何实现数字经济与公共卫生服务的协同互动。