The Influential Factors of Health Care Customer Loyalty: Evidence from Serbia

Authors

  • Tamara Rajić Economics Institute s.c. Belgrade, Serbia
  • Isidora Milošević University of Belgrade, Technical faculty in Bor, Serbia
  • Ana Rakić University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2020.0004

Keywords:

health care service quality, patients’ satisfaction, patients’ loyalty, structural equation modelling

Abstract

Research question: This study aims to investigate the determinants of customer loyalty in a European emerging economy’s health care setting. Motivation: In spite of a rising research interest in the determinants of patients’ loyalty over previous years, scarce attention has been paid to date to simultaneous examination of the influential factors of patients’ loyalty. Although a number of studies have pointed to patients’ perceptions of service quality as an important determinant of loyalty, there is a paucity of research of the impact of service quality, at a disaggregate level, on patients’ loyalty. Idea: To address this knowledge gap, this study builds upon the South Korean health care service quality measurement instrument and, upon supporting its validity in the Serbian health care setting, examines a relative contribution of service quality dimensions and satisfaction to patients’ loyalty. Data: Quantitative research has been performed, by means of a structured questionnaire, on a convenience sample of 300 health care customers in Serbia. Tools: Structural equation modelling (SEM) has been applied to simultaneously examine the impact of service quality dimensions and satisfaction on patients’ loyalty. Findings: Results of the study point to patient satisfaction as the most significant determinant of loyalty, followed by tangibles and concern of other medical staff, which in terms of total effect resulted as statistically significant determinants of loyalty.  Findings of this study indicate that managerial attention to these predictors may results in higher levels of patients’ loyalty to the institution. Contribution: This study adds to the body of knowledge on patients’ loyalty and points to the relevance of a more holistic approach in future examinations of customer loyalty in a health care setting.

Author Biographies

Tamara Rajić, Economics Institute s.c. Belgrade, Serbia

Tamara Rajic is a research associate at the Economics Institute s.c. Belgrade. She holds a doctoral degree from the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade. Her main research interests are consumer behaviour and multivariate data analysis across service industries. She co-authored a number of research papers which have been published in national and international journals.

Isidora Milošević, University of Belgrade, Technical faculty in Bor, Serbia

Isidora Milosevic is an Associate Professor at the Technical faculty in Bor. Her main research interests revolve around structural equation modelling, strategic management, corporate social responsibility and marketing in small and medium-sized entreprises. She co-authored a number of research papers published in international scientific journals and has led several international research projects.

Ana Rakić, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Serbia

Ana Rakić is an Assistant Professor at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. Her main research interests are standardisation, metrology, accreditation, certification, engineering communications and logistics. She is a co-author of many papers in international and national journals and conferences and a member of four commissions at the National Institute for Standardization of Serbia.

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Published

2020-09-01

How to Cite

Rajić, T., Milošević, I., & Rakić, A. (2020). The Influential Factors of Health Care Customer Loyalty: Evidence from Serbia. Management:Journal of Sustainable Business and Management Solutions in Emerging Economies, 25(2), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2020.0004

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Articles