Attributes Influencing Patients Preference for Service Quality: A Conjoint Analysis

The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate attributes along with their corresponding values preferred by Patients while utilization of health care services at Amritsar (Punjab) India, using conjoint analysis. Data was gathered from a total of 110 respondents (78.5% of the total subjects). Relative importance of each attribute was accessed. It was found that, Outcome of treatment, Promptness at the Time of Admission, Efficiency of Doctors/Staff in Treatment, their Interpersonal Skills, Basic Amneties and cost of services in decreasing order of relative importance, explains Patients preferences. Results also reveal that, while utilizing health care services, patients prefer to seek services from hospitals which provide them with quick&simple admission procedure, excellent basic amneties, and very efficient doctors having excellent interpersonal skills. They prefer to receive services at affordable cost and want to get best outcome of treatment. This paper provides relative evaluation of quality factors thought to be important for patient while utilizing services at hospital in Amritsar Punjab (India). Implications of results for health care providers are also discussed.