Factors Influencing Patients Loyalty to Hospitals Brands Using Structural Equation Modeling: 2011-2012

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Abstract

Background: Nowadays, in competitive conditions, healthcare providers must pay attention to their customers' loyalty in order to keep and increase their market share and to promote the health level of society. However, hospital managers do not know that which factors influence their customers' loyalty. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify influencing factors on patients' loyalty to hospitals' brands.   Methods: The statistic population of this study included all hospitalized patients in Tehran, Iran hospitals in a period of one year (Jan 2011- Jan 2012). Sampling was done through two stage clustering and convenient method and 390 samples were studied. Collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and through LISREL 8/80 and SPSS 19.   Results: According to the results, loyalty toward hospital brand is significantly related to customer satisfaction, trust to the brand and commitment to the relationship.   Conclusion: This study indicates that the loyalty of patients toward hospital brands could be improved by improving the quality of services, employing skillful and experienced physicians, honesty and justice in the treatment of patients, providing patients with adequate information about  their treatment, following up health status of discharged patients, and reinforcing relationship with referring physicians.  

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