The Effects Of Service Quality, Companion’s Satisfaction And Delight On Behavioural Intention In Private Hospitals For Medical Tourism
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Date
2016-04
Authors
Mohamad, Wan Normila
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This research examined the relevance of service quality in the context of medical tourism of the private hospitals in Malaysia. It encompasses the service quality dimensions of communication, courtesy, emotional support, hospital amenities and the companion‘s need that can influence intention of returning for retreatment, accompanying and promoting Malaysia private hospitals through satisfaction and delight based on the companion‘s experience. This research also investigates the moderating effect of medical travel facilitators between service quality and behavioural intention in the medical tourism industry. The model incorporates three theories; the expectancy-disconfirmation theory, the social information processing theory and the psycho-evolutionary theory of emotions. A total of 438 respondents of patient‘s companions participated in this study from four approved private hospitals in Penang, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur via survey questionnaire developed from related literature. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire developed from related literature and then analysed by using structural equation modeling via Smart PLS. Companion‘s satisfaction mediate the relationships between communication, hospital amenities and understanding the companion‘s needs on behavioural intention with no effect for courtesy and emotional support. Companion‘s delight was found to have mediating effect between hospital amenities towards behavioural intention with no effect for the remaining dimensions. Medical travel facilitators were found to have a positive moderating effect to all the dimensions (communication, courtesy, emotional support, hospital amenities and the companion‘s need) towards companion‘s satisfaction as well as companion‘s delight. Theoretical and practical contributions of the research findings were discussed. Limitations of the research were explained and suggestions for future research were also presented.
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Keywords
Service quality , Private hospitals in Malaysia