Zahra Mirbolouk; Seyed Hamid Khodadad Hosseini; Mehr Ali Hematinejad; Esmail Noorsalehi
Volume 13, Issue 3 , September 2016, , Pages 209-215
Abstract
Introduction: Although currently a small part of services marketing, tourism, or medical services has been allocated to medical tourism, its role cannot be dismissed as either temporary or insignificant. The aim of this research was to design the medical tourism trends model and investigate effective ...
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Introduction: Although currently a small part of services marketing, tourism, or medical services has been allocated to medical tourism, its role cannot be dismissed as either temporary or insignificant. The aim of this research was to design the medical tourism trends model and investigate effective factors on medical tourism attraction in Guilan Province, Iran. Methods: This applied study was carried out using a descriptive survey method. The study population consisted of all medical tourists who had chosen the private hospitals of Rasht and Beheshti Hospital in Astara, Iran, for their medical care during the study period (n = 100). Data were collected through census method using a questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were approved through confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. Descriptive statistical indexes were used to describe the data and partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for data analysis in SmartPLS software. Results: Perceived medical quality, perceived service quality, perceived reputation, and religion had a positive effect on medical tourists’ perceived value. Perceived fee also had a positive effect on the perceived value of medical tourists of Rasht Province. In addition, medical tourists’ perceived value had a strong positive effect on customer trends in medical tourism. Conclusion: Improving medical infrastructure, increasing medical and tourism quality, providing correct and comprehensive advertisement about hospitals of Guilan in countries bordering the Caspian Sea, and improving supportive facilities for patients and their companions would lead to the development medical tourism and increasing of job opportunities and income in Guilan Province.
Pegah Bangian-Tabrizi; Seyed Hamid Khodadad-Hosseini; Asghar Moshabaki-Esfahani
Volume 13, Issue 1 , May 2016, , Pages 48-54
Abstract
Introduction: The quality of the provided services impacts the existing and potential customers’ intention to reuse the services and their loyalty. Moreover, service providers can prevent customers from leaving their current organizations and switching to the competitors, through establishing ...
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Introduction: The quality of the provided services impacts the existing and potential customers’ intention to reuse the services and their loyalty. Moreover, service providers can prevent customers from leaving their current organizations and switching to the competitors, through establishing switching costs. This research investigated the effect of perceived service quality and customer switching costs on customer loyalty in hospitals. Methods: The current research was an applied research, and the data were collected using a questionnaire based on descriptive-survey method, and structural equation modeling (SEM). In order to analyze the data, SPSS and SmartPLS software were employed. Results: The positive and meaningful impact of perceived service quality and switching costs on customer loyalty was confirmed. Examination of the effect of service quality dimensions on loyalty showed the positive and meaningful impact of tangible factors, trust, assurance, and empathy on customer loyalty. However, responsiveness had no impact on loyalty. In addition, the moderating role of switching costs on the relation of perceived service quality with customer loyalty, and tangible factors, trust, assurance, and empathy with customer loyalty were confirmed. Nevertheless, the relation of responsiveness with loyalty was not confirmed. Conclusion: According to the research results, it is recommended that hospitals attempt to increase the loyalty of their customers through improving the quality of their services, and establishing switching costs.
