Towards a holistic customer value approach in managing public health care services: a developers' view

Abstract

Purpose: Recent literature within public service logic has called for more explicit conceptualisation of customer value in public services. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how the customer value approach can be applied in the management of public health care services. Design/methodology/approach: This study is a qualitative case study of management of public health care services in Finland. The authors interviewed 17 regional health care service developers and analyzed the interview data using thematic analysis. Findings: The study suggests five propositions for applying customer value approach from the marketing literature in public health care service management. The study enables a deeper understanding of customer value creation in this context and improvement of public health care services. Originality/value: This study contributes to the public management research in general and public service logic research in particular by suggesting what constitutes customer value in public health care services.