Perceptions of Service Quality and Behavioral Intentions: A Mediation Effect of Patient Satisfaction in the Private Health Care in Malaysia

Nor Khasimah Aliman,Wan Normila Mohamad

doi:10.5539/ijms.v5n4p15

Abstract

This study attempts to examine the mediation effect of satisfaction on service quality perception and intentionsbehavior of private hospital outpatients in Malaysia. 300 hospital outpatients were selected as the sample size.Regression analysis was run to test the hypotheses. Based on the 273 completed data, the results provide supportfor the association between perceived service quality dimensions (tangibles, assurance, and empathy) andbehavioral intentions. The results also confirm that service quality perception is an antecedent of intentions. Inaddition, tangibility, reliability and assurance are important predictors of satisfaction, and satisfaction has astrong positive relationship with intentions. In short, service quality drives satisfaction which in turn drivesbehavioral intentions. The finding also indicates that satisfaction partially mediates the relationship betweenperceived service quality and behavioral intentions. As a result, the strength of the perceived servicequality-behavioral intentions relationship becomes weaker when satisfaction is considered. Theoretical andmanagerial implications of the findings are also discussed.

Highlights

Malaysia is positioning itself as the hub of medical tourism in Southeast Asia (Navid et al, 2010)
This study attempts to examine the mediation effect of satisfaction on service quality perception and intentions behavior of private hospital outpatients in Malaysia. 300 hospital outpatients were selected as the sample size
The results showed that customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between perceived service quality and behavioral intentions

Summary

Introduction

Malaysia is positioning itself as the hub of medical tourism in Southeast Asia (Navid et al, 2010). As a result of this, healthcare travel, often referred to as medical tourism, is recognized as a potential foreign exchange earner for Malaysia. The Malaysian medical tourism industry has been experiencing consistent growth at a rate of 15% throughout 2008 to 2009 (Frost & Sullivan, 2010). The number of medical tourists visiting the country for medical tourism has hit approximately 425,500 in 2009, and Malaysia received 583,000 medical tourists in 2011. The majority of the visitors are from neighboring countries such as Indonesia (60 percent) and the remaining are from Singapore, Japan, India, United Kingdom, Iran, Nepal, and Bangladesh who came to seek more affordable medical treatment (Harian Metro, 2012)

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