Healthcare Services: Patient Satisfaction and Loyalty Lessons from Islamic Friendly Hospitals

BACKGROUND: The study has aimed to investigate the Muslim patient’s psychological factors related to healthcare services that influence their loyalty intention for further treatment at private hospitals in Malaysia. METHODS: Data were collected from private hospitals in Klang Valley. A total of 379 responses from patients were analysed using the structural equation modelling approach. RESULTS: The findings revealed that administrative behaviour, nurse’s services and Shariah amenities have a highly significant impact on satisfaction. The healthcare technicality, hospital environment and physician’s services have a significant relationship with patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction has a significant impact on patient loyalty to healthcare services at the hospital. Administrative behaviour, physicians’ services and healthcare technicality have a direct and positive relationship with loyalty intention, while Shariah amenity has a negative significant relationship with loyalty. CONCLUSION: The results have important implications for product development and managerial considerations in hospitals. Service providers need to be mindful that all aspects, including Shariah amenities and generic healthcare service delivery, are important and need to be balanced and delivered satisfactorily to ensure customer satisfaction.