Hospital healthcare service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty: An investigation in context of private healthcare systems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the patients’ views towards private healthcare service providers. The study focussed on hospital service quality and analysed the relative significance of quality measurements in anticipating the patients’ satisfaction and loyalty. The mediating role of patient satisfaction is assessed between quality of hospital healthcare services and patient loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A total 611 patients (both indoor and outdoor) participated in a questionnaire survey from the six private hospitals of capital city, Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics, common method variance, reliability, correlation and regression in order to investigate customer perceived service quality and how the quality of services stimulates loyalty intentions towards private service suppliers. Findings Findings depict that private healthcare service providers are attempting to deliver well improved healthcare services to their customers. Results confirmed that better quality of healthcare services inclines to build satisfaction and loyalty among patients. The healthcare service quality aspects (i.e. physical environment, customer-friendly environment, responsiveness, communication, privacy and safety) are positively related with patient loyalty which is mediated through patient satisfaction. Practical implications Findings will help the hospital managers to articulate effective strategies in order to ensure superior quality of healthcare services to patients. The study will induce hospital management to deliver attentions towards the quality of private healthcare service systems and improvements towards the deficient healthcare services. Furthermore, the study will present a clear picture of patient’s behavioural attitudes; satisfaction and loyalty intentions towards the quality of healthcare services. Originality/value The study provides the views and perceptions of patients towards the quality of healthcare services. The healthcare service quality dimensions, i.e., physical environment, customer-friendly environment, responsiveness, communication, and privacy and safety were assessed. Hospital healthcare service quality was examined in order to find out its effect on patient satisfaction and patient loyalty.