Outpatient service quality and doctor-patient relationship: a study in Chinese public hospital

The hospitals in China are facing great challenges with the doctor-patient relationship, which requires a study of outpatient service quality. This paper aims to study the impact of outpatient service quality on patient satisfaction, patient trust and willingness to return. Using survey data from a leading public hospital in China, it shows that doctor visiting service quality, examination quality and payment and medicine receipt quality are positively related to patient satisfaction, patient trust and willingness to return. Pre-doctor visiting service quality only has a significant impact on patient satisfaction. Physical environment quality and waiting time do not have a significant impact on patient satisfaction, patient trust and willingness to return.