1Professor, Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Korea.
2Doctoral Student, Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Korea.
Correspondence: Yom, Young-Hee. Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, 221, Huksuk-Dong, Dongjak-Ku, Seoul 156-752, Korea. Tel: 82-11-756-9310, Fax: 82-2-820-5700, yhyom@cau.ac.kr
• Received: November 3, 2010 • Revised: November 26, 2010 • Accepted: November 26, 2010
The purpose of this study was to examine the causal relationships among quality of health care service, service value, satisfaction and loyalty as perceived by hospital inpatients.
Methods
A survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted with 654 hospital inpatients. Analysis of the data was done with both SPSS Win 17.0 for descriptive statistics and AMOS 18.0 for the structural equation model.
Results
The modified model yielded Chi-square=7.96 (p=.019), df=2, χ2/df=3.98, GFI=.99, AGFI=.96, RMSEA=.07, NFI=.99, CFI=.99, TLI=.98 and showed good fit indices. Three dimensions of quality had significant direct effects on service value. Functional quality, technical quality and service value had significant direct effects on customer satisfaction. Technical quality, service value, and customer satisfaction had significant direct effects on customer loyalty.
Conclusion
These results suggest that quality of health care is an important element in service value, and through both quality and service value, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty can be enhanced. Further study with a larger sample from various hospitals and a longitudinal design is necessary.
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Figure 1
Path diagram of the hypothetical model
Figure 2
Path diagram of the modified model
Table 1
Demographic characteristics (N=654)
Table 2
Means, standard deviations and correlations of variables
Table 3
Goodness fit indies for the hypothetical and modified models
GFI=goodness of fit index; AGFI=ajusted goodness of fit index; RMR=root mean squared residual, RMSEA=root mean squared error of approximation; NFI=normed fit index; CFI=comparative fit index); TLI=tucker-lewis index.
Table 4
Standardized direct effect, indirect effect and total effect in modified path model
SMC=Squared multiple correlations.
Figure & Data
References
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
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Causal Relationships among Quality, Service Value, Satisfaction and Loyalty
Figure 1
Path diagram of the hypothetical model
Figure 2
Path diagram of the modified model
Figure 1
Figure 2
Causal Relationships among Quality, Service Value, Satisfaction and Loyalty
Demographic characteristics (N=654)
Means, standard deviations and correlations of variables
Goodness fit indies for the hypothetical and modified models
GFI=goodness of fit index; AGFI=ajusted goodness of fit index; RMR=root mean squared residual, RMSEA=root mean squared error of approximation; NFI=normed fit index; CFI=comparative fit index); TLI=tucker-lewis index.
Standardized direct effect, indirect effect and total effect in modified path model
SMC=Squared multiple correlations.
Table 1
Demographic characteristics (N=654)
Table 2
Means, standard deviations and correlations of variables
Table 3
Goodness fit indies for the hypothetical and modified models
GFI=goodness of fit index; AGFI=ajusted goodness of fit index; RMR=root mean squared residual, RMSEA=root mean squared error of approximation; NFI=normed fit index; CFI=comparative fit index); TLI=tucker-lewis index.
Table 4
Standardized direct effect, indirect effect and total effect in modified path model
