Emotions and satisfaction at the hospital

Purpose

This study aims to compare public and private hospitals based on both cognitive and affective components of patients’ satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 770 Italian patients from public and private hospitals was conducted. Then, hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses and a series of chi-squared tests were run with the aim of segmenting patients’ emotional response.

Findings

Respondents show different levels of satisfaction and a different emotional status based on the private or public nature of the service provider. The cluster analysis helped to identify two segments. Specifically, the cluster with the highest positive emotions is reported to have a higher level of satisfaction and a higher intention to return; this evidence is much stronger when a private service provider rather than a public one is considered. A series of chi-squared tests reveal that no significant differences exist among clusters based on socio-demographic characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

This study uses a convenience sample and is highly context specific, and thus the authors are unable to make generalizations.

Practical implications

Hospital managers should develop a customer-oriented approach, for example, by paying greater attention to patients’ emotions and experience, via conducting systematic surveys on patients’ emotions and improving the servicescape.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this study resides in simultaneously considering the role of cognitive and affective components on patients’ satisfaction and behavioural intention, and segmenting patients based on their emotional responses. Moreover, only few studies provide a comparison of public and private hospitals in Italy.