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Linking quality improvement with patient satisfaction: a study of a health service centre

Jackie L.M. Tam (Department of Management and Marketing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong)

Marketing Intelligence & Planning

ISSN: 0263-4503

Article publication date: 30 October 2007

2646

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the impact of improvement in service‐delivery quality on customer satisfaction and repeat patronage, in the context of health services.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal study of patients at a health care centre in Hong Kong assessed the effect of quality improvements made in response to the findings of its first phase, with respect to patient satisfaction and intention to revisit. Data were collected by questionnaire‐based interviews with more than 1,000 patients visiting the centre.

Findings

Exploratory factor analysis, varimax rotation and t‐tests show that basing a service quality improvement programme on feedback from the patient survey did improve satisfaction and intention to revisit. Conclusions include the importance of management commitment to quality for effective outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

The results are based on the responses of clients of a single health centre, during surveys conducted outside the premises in real time, and can be generalized to other settings only with due caution.

Originality/value

Empirical evidence is provided of the positive impact of quality improvement on patient satisfaction and revisit intention in a real situation.

Keywords

Citation

Tam, J.L.M. (2007), "Linking quality improvement with patient satisfaction: a study of a health service centre", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 25 No. 7, pp. 732-745. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500710834197

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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