The influence of factors in selection of medical institutions on perceived quality, perceived risk and use intention: With a focus on general hospitals

Abstract

The current research aimed to identify what factors of hospital and doctor attributes affect medical consumers' selection of general hospitals. Also was investigation was the question of how these factors influence a variety of perceived risk and their use intention. Finally, it aimed to find which of the two, hospital or doctor attributes, exerted more influence on customers'selection of general hospitals. The results wear as follows. First, a set of four factors of hospital attributes were extracted that influence their selection: convenience, reputation, public trust and externalities of hospitals. Second, from the set of hospital factors, waiting hours, consulting hours and convenience facilities were found leading to high perceived risk. Third, it was found that the reputation of hospitals exerted greatest influence on customers' use intention: awareness, word-of-mouth and popularity. Fourth, the professional expertise, favorable attributes and external characteristics were extracted for the factors of doctor attributes that affect customers' selection. Fifth, it was found that the factor of doctors' professional expertise had an impact on customers' perceived risk. Sixth, it was found that the greater attractiveness, favorability, kindness and intimacy would be more likely to lead to medical customers' use intention. And finally, of the factors of hospital and doctor attributes, the factor of public trust, which consists of expertise, reliability and medical equipment, was found exerting the greatest influence on medical consumers' selection of general hospitals. The results of the present research are expected to provide meaningful data for arranging marketing strategies of hospitals.