The effect of specific service encounters on cumulative patient satisfaction
Owing to the nature of different services it becomes necessary to differentiate between overall customer satisfaction and transaction specific satisfaction; i.e. specific service encounter (Bitner and Hubbert, 1994, pp. 72‐94). Multiple service satisfaction leads to an overall level of customer satisfaction (Bitner and Hubbert, 1994, pp. 72‐94). Boshoff and Gray (2004) found that satisfaction with specific service dimensions such as nursing staff, fees and meals were found to exert positive influence on cumulative patient satisfaction – the strongest being satisfaction with nursing staff. However, satisfaction with administration, reception and television services were rejected as things that influence customer satisfaction (Boshoff and Gray, 2004).
Different health care options: patient expectation and satisfaction levels
Gilbert et al. (1992) compared patient expectations of three different health provider options:
1. emergency rooms;
2. private physician; and
3. walk‐in clinics.
Expectation and performance questions covered several attributes:
1. time spent with the physician;
2. the way diagnosis, treatment and care were explained;
3. physician and staff friendliness; and
4. amount of information provided.
There was also two instrumental attributes:
1. cost; and
2. physician competence.