Title: Patient satisfaction in hospital emergency services: a perspective from Portugal

Authors: Daniel Ferreira Polónia; Ana Alexandra Da Costa Dias; Rui Diogo Soares Dos Santos

Addresses: Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy Research Group, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal ' Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy Research Group, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal ' Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Abstract: This research paper constructs and validates a conceptual model that identifies the determinants of patient satisfaction with hospital emergency services. The conceptual model is based on an extensive review of the literature on the subject and was validated by 400 interviews in four Portuguese NHS hospital emergency services. Analysis of the data revealed that there are five statistically significant variables that influence satisfaction, whereas satisfaction itself influences the loyalty dimension of the model. Although the sample was diverse and a significant number of patients were interviewed, the study only involved NHS users from one specific region of the country. Nevertheless, it proved possible to use the model to draw several managerial implications and these were analysed for ways in which patient satisfaction with the service could be improved.

Keywords: service quality management; hospital emergency services; patient satisfaction; patient loyalty; healthcare services; Portugal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2020.110935

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2020 Vol.31 No.3, pp.349 - 368

Received: 30 Jul 2018
Accepted: 07 Jun 2019
Published online: 02 Nov 2020 *

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