Abstract EN:

My dissertation is entitled : "The influence of the perceived quality of service on the satisfaction of patients in China's hospitals : the role of perceived risk". It investigates the conceptual relationship between patient perceived quality, patient satisfaction and patient loyalty intention in China's health care market. The main objective of this research is to determine the role of patient perceived risk in China's health care setting. This research is determined by few research questions : l) Does the relationship between health care perceived quality and patients' satisfaction enhances patients' loyalty ? 2) If it is so, what are the key elements for measure perceived quality, and satisfaction and loyalty intention ? 3) If there is a causal linkage between patient perceived quality, patient satisfaction, and patient loyalty intention, how does this relationship is affected by the factor of patient perceived risk ? 4) What is the role of perceived risk in measuring health care perceived quality and patient satisfaction ? To achieve these research objectives, both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. First, I used in-depth semi-structural individual and focus group interview to analysis whether the existing relationship between service quality, satisfaction, and loyalty intention could be apply in context of health care in China. Through 18 semi-structural individual interviews, and 6 focus groups interactions, I found a theoretical relationship between health care service quality, patient satisfaction, patient loyalty intention, and patient risk perception. Second, the key dimensions of each concept were conducted by using exploratory and confirmatory data analysis. Finally, the relationship between each concept was investigated via structural equation modeling (SEM). The result indicates a statistically significant relationship between service quality, satisfaction, loyal Q intention, and risk perception in China’s health care industry. This research also advances the mediation role of patient satisfaction between the relationship of health service quality, and patient loyalty intention. Moreover, another mediator role of perceived service quality, which impacts the relationship between patient satisfaction and risk perception, was also found in this research. In conclusion, I argued that health service providers who develop close, long-term relationships with their customer (patient) will improve their customer (patient) retentions rates. That is, patients who received a higher service quality, tend to be more satisfied with their service provider, and to patronize the service provider in the future. In addition, this study also suggests that to understand the conceptual relationship between quality, satisfaction, loyalty, and perceived risk of China' patient health manager should assess the key factors structure of each instrument data in order to avoid the unnecessary wastage of resources.