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Service Quality in the Healthcare Industry: A Literature Review and Research Agenda


Affiliations
1 Research Scholar, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
2 Professor, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
     

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The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature published on the various aspects of service quality in the healthcare industry. The study is based on secondary information collected through the systematic review of 144 identified literature. It is found that there are 25 factors affecting the perception of customers towards the service quality, 6 important impact of service quality, 17 dimensions of service quality were identified, and 16 different measures to improve perception towards service quality. The study exhibits the influential drivers of service quality and customer perception that may stimulate healthcare managers to hold on to their customer base and enhance profitability. A positive relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty was also found. Finally, it concluded that if an organization desires to survive for a longer period, it is imperative to do the persistent investigation of its service quality. Therefore, the study recommends continuous quality improvement programs, proper usage of customer relationship management (CRM) and information System (IS) in order to ameliorate patient satisfaction, and loyalty in return.

Keywords

Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Patient Loyalty, Hospital, Healthcare
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  • Service Quality in the Healthcare Industry: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

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Authors

Suman Agarwal
Research Scholar, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Ranjit Singh
Professor, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Chandra Kant Upadhyay
Research Scholar, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract


The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature published on the various aspects of service quality in the healthcare industry. The study is based on secondary information collected through the systematic review of 144 identified literature. It is found that there are 25 factors affecting the perception of customers towards the service quality, 6 important impact of service quality, 17 dimensions of service quality were identified, and 16 different measures to improve perception towards service quality. The study exhibits the influential drivers of service quality and customer perception that may stimulate healthcare managers to hold on to their customer base and enhance profitability. A positive relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty was also found. Finally, it concluded that if an organization desires to survive for a longer period, it is imperative to do the persistent investigation of its service quality. Therefore, the study recommends continuous quality improvement programs, proper usage of customer relationship management (CRM) and information System (IS) in order to ameliorate patient satisfaction, and loyalty in return.

Keywords


Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Patient Loyalty, Hospital, Healthcare

References