Satisfaction in clinics and hospitals: Does context matter?

ABSTRACT

Patient satisfaction with their healthcare is of concern to healthcare administrators. Antecedents include utilitarian and hedonic value, empathy, and sacrifice. This study investigates empathy, utilitarian and hedonic value, and sacrifice as antecedents to patient satisfaction. Resource advantage theory and service-dominant logic provide a theoretical basis for the importance of operant resources in achieving patient satisfaction. The data originates from a U.S. consumer panel across two contexts and includes 143 hospital and 182 clinic patients as respondents. Structural equation modeling and moderation analysis are used to test hypotheses. Results provide a strategic direction for hospitals and clinics to achieve patient satisfaction.